10 booked for illegal mining in Batala

Tribune News Service

Batala, June 22

The police on Friday booked 10 persons for extracting sand from the riverbed near Bhol Bhagey village.

SSS Opinderjit Singh Ghuman said the crackdown was part of the drive against unauthorised mining in and around the city.

He said one person had been arrested, while they were on the lookout for the other nine.

Mining officer Paramjit Singh said following complaints that a group of people had been taking out sand from the riverbed for the past few days, he informed the police.

“Two tractor-trailers engaged in transporting sand to construction sites have been impounded,” he said. A case under Sections 379 and 114 of the IPC has been registered against the accused.

“We are under strict instructions to stop illegal quarrying and have formed teams of officials who regularly inspect sites where mining is suspected to be going on. This is just the first part of the drive. On Saturday, we have planned more such operations. Mininig Department officials are in constant touch with us,” said the SSP.

The raid led to rumours that some ruling party politicians were using their henchmen in the trade. “We have been receiving reports that some Congressmen are in the illegal mining business, following which we have constituted a special team to verify the complaints. However, so far no such involvement has come to the fore,” said a senior police officer.