Truck seized for illegal mining in Gurdaspur, driver arrested

Prabhakar Joshi, BSF DIG, Gurdaspur, said, “The accused were involved in illegal mining activities. We have handed over the sand-laden vehicle and its driver to the police.”

A Tata 207 pickup, which was transporting sand illegally, was seized and its driver arrested after it accidently hit the Border Security Force’s (BSF) Tata 407 vehicle, which was parked at a naka point near Dharamkot village falling under the Dera Baba Nanak sub-division on Tuesday.

A Tata 207 pickup, which was involved in illegal mining, was seized and its driver arrested after it accidently hit the Border Security Force’s (BSF) Tata 407 vehicle, which was parked at a naka point near Dharamkot village falling under the Dera Baba Nanak sub-division in Gurdaspur on Tuesday. (HT File Photo)

The development comes a day after Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is on a two-day visit in the border areas with a motive to increasing the coordination of various security agencies to deal with the treat of smuggling of drugs, arms and ammunition, and illegal sand mining, mulled slapping of treason charges against those involved in illegal mining in the border areas. Last month, the army and the BSF had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court complaining that due to the increasing activities of illegal sand mining in the border areas, their strategic locations, including bunkers and bridges, are being damaged.

A BSF spokesperson said, “A joint naka with the Dera Baba Nanak police was laid near Dharmkot village on Monday. Our Tata 407 was parked on the roadside near the naka point. At 12.30 am, a vehicle (bearing registration number PB08 BS 4616), which was coming from the Dharmkot Pattan village side filled with sand, lost control and hit our vehicle.”

He said, “Soon after the accident, two persons came out of the vehicle and fled taking advantage of the darkness. However, the driver of the vehicle was apprehended. On searching, it was found that the vehicle was filled with illegal sand. During questioning, the driver revealed that he had dug the sand from the Ravi river in the general area of Dharmkot Pattan village.”

A senior BSF official said, “The recovery of the sand has revealed that the illegal sand mining along the border is still rampant. The mining has been badly impacting our strategically important locations. The civil authorities and police should take strict action in this regard.”

Prabhakar Joshi, BSF DIG, Gurdaspur, said, “The accused were involved in illegal sand mining activities. The accident had caused damage to the diesel tank of our vehicle. We have handed over the sand-laden vehicle and its driver to the police.”