Crusher owner held for illegal mining on land attached by ED in Nangal

Naseeb Chand, owner of Ram Stone Crusher, has been booked under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 21 (1) and 4 (1) of the Mines and Minerals Act

The Rupnagar police arrested the owner of a stone crusher for illegal sand mining at a village in Nangal area of the district.

Illegal sand mining was being carried out in Bhalari village on a land that was already attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). (File)

Naseeb Chand, owner of Ram Stone Crusher, has been booked under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 21 (1) and 4 (1) of the Mines and Minerals Act.

Illegal sand mining was being carried out in Bhalari village on a land that was already attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). “We have arrested the owner of the stone crusher, and will thoroughly interrogate him during police remand. Further action will be taken if more facts come out during investigation,” said newly-appointed Rupnagar SSP Gulneet Khurana.

Notably, Khurana has replaced SSP Vivek Sheel Soni, who has already been transferred to Moga in the recent reshuffle of senior Punjab Police officers.

The said action against illegal sand mining in Rupnagar is seen in the light of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s recent decision of assigning the mining portfolio from minister Gurmeet Meet Hayer to Chetan Singh Jouramajra.

As per the police, a sub divisional officer (SDO), had given a complaint on October 17 to act against the accused stone crusher. Following this, a case against the crusher owner was registered. However, the accused was not named in the FIR.

“During the routine checking, deep pits were found on the land. We request you to take action against the owner of the stone crusher and land owner,” read the complaint by the SDO of the mining department to the Rupnagar police.

The police said they had already written to the mining department to provide details of the stone crusher and revenue department for details of the land owner. It was after their report that Naseeb Chand was identified as the owner of the crusher, and land was attached in a case by the ED.

Rupnagar police further said they had already impounded the poclain machine used for mining and two tipper trucks used to transport sand.