Check on illegal sand mining turns violent
Police resort to lathicharge against the miscreants to control the situation
A drive to check illegal sand mining turned violent after the miscreants tried to attack the tahsildar and an inspector in Ammerahalli in the taluk on Tuesday.
The police resorted to lathicharge when the suspects Anand and Ravi attacked them.
Acting on a tip-off, Tahsildar Dayanand along with a police reserve force inspector conducted a surprise raid on illegal mining and transportation of sand, which was being carried out on the tank bed in the village.
Some of the miscreants at the spot tried to attack the officers. When the police lathicharged against them, they fled from the scene. The police seized three earthmovers, two tractors and a two-wheeler.
The Kolar Rural police have registered the case.
Background
Team of a tahsildar and police was attacked by a group of miscreants when they seized the vehicles transporting the sand unlawfully.
They blocked the road with the tractors and started arguing with the tahsildar. Though the tahsildar tried to explain adverse effects of illegal mining of sand that will lead to water scarcity.
He also warned them of legal consequences too. But, they didnt heed his cautions and got into altercation with the team.
The miscreants turned violent and snatched lathi from the police and threatened to assault them. Some of them attempted to pelt the police with stones.
To bring the situation under control, the police resorted to lathicharge.
Use of influence
The involvment of a minister was indicated when a resident claimed that he had alerted the minister over the phone. He asked the tahsildar to speak to the minister. But, the tahsildar refused to speak to the minister over phone and said: “You are supporting a illegal activity. I do not want to talk about it with anyone else.”
During the raid, it was also found that illegally mined sand was stored near the tank and surrounding places in the village. The illegally stored sand was also found at a field belonging to Mutthujaan and Sabjaan of the village.
When inquired, the residents refused to answer, said the police. Nagaraj, Inspector of Reserve Squad and Nagaraj of Revenue Department participated in the raid.
Powerful miscreants
Giving more information, Venkatachalapathi, a member of the Gram Panchayat, said that most of the residents are against illegal sand mining.
But, those involved in the mining have the support of influential persons and don’t heed the protests by the local residents against sand mining that would lead to water scarcity and have harmful effect on the environment.
DH News Service
Tahsildar speaks
Later, addressing the media, the tahsildar said , “this tank belongs to the City Municipal Council (CMC). But the CMC has not taken any action against the illegal sand mining here.
We received a complaint in the morning that sand is being mined here without inviting tenders. Based on this complaint raid was planned. But we found that the residents were against the raid. Anyways they have been directed to follow the rules. A memoranda will be submitted to the deputy commissioner to depute police staff for patrolling of the lake,” he said.
“It is also important that Gram Panchayat, CMC, Revenue Department, Mines and Geology Department shoulder the responsibility,” he added.
