Sand smugglers attack cop

 K S Niranjan, sub-inspector of the rural police station at Nagamangala in Mandya district, was attacked by a few youths when he tried to intercept sand-laden lorries at Hulikere village in the taluk on Thursday night.

Niranjan, on night patrol tried to intercept two sand-laden lorries coming from Mayigonahalli near Hulikere temple. Just then, a gang of seven youths who were in a jeep following the lorries, tried to assault him and his jeep driver.

The gang summoned a few more accomplices who arrived in another vehicle and attacked Niranjan. When the cop resisted, they escaped with a lorry. Niranjan and the jeep driver suffered minor injuries. Two accused — Kumar and Harish of Koravanagundi village — have been arrested.

‘Sand mafia rampant’

Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday admitted that sand smuggling was rampant in the State and that influential persons were involved in the crime.

Reacting to the attack by sand smugglers on police sub-inspector Niranjan at Nagamangala in Mandya, Parameshwara said action would be taken against the culprits. He said illegal lifting of sand was prevalent across the State and that stringent measures would be initiated against the perpetrators.

The minister also said the police had not made any further arrests of terror suspects in Bengaluru. Following the arrest of the aides of underworld operator Chhota Shakeel on Thursday, it was rumoured that more arrests were made.