One apprehended, 50 booked for illegal mining in Nuh

Nuh: A juvenile was apprehended and 50 other suspects were booked on Thursday for their alleged involvement in attacking a joint team of officials from the Nuh police and the district mining department, and injuring a policeman during a raid at an illegal mining site in Badeda village that day, said police on Friday

Nuh: A juvenile was apprehended and 50 other suspects were booked on Thursday for their alleged involvement in attacking a joint team of officials from the Nuh police and the district mining department, and injuring a policeman during a raid at an illegal mining site in Badeda village that day, said police on Friday.

A joint team of officials from the Nuh police and the district mining department conducted a raid in Badeda village of Nuh, along the Rajasthan border, on Thursday. (Sourced)

Seven of the suspects have been identified so far, according to police.

Nuh superintendent of police Varun Singla said police received a tip-off on Wednesday regarding illegal mining activities in Badeda village, along the Rajasthan border, following which the team of officials conducted a raid there. “On reaching the site, the team of officials spotted three machines being used to mine a large amount of stones from there. As soon as some villagers spotted the officials, and raised an alarm, the suspects — a gang of at least five miners — escaped. The officials managed to apprehended a juvenile driving one of the earthmovers, which was also impounded,” he said.

According to Singla, several residents even pelted stones at the officials from the hillock, injuring one policeman.

A case has been registered against 50 villagers — seven identified so far — under sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 323 (causing hurt), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 379 (snatching), 307 (attempt to murder), and 120B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Punhana police station on Wednesday, said police.

On August 19, the Nuh administration formed a six-member team to carry out night patrolling in 15 villages of Tauru where illegal miners were active. According to forest officials, miscreants have found a way around the trenches dug in the mountains to keep them at bay. Miners use earthmovers to fill the trenches, transport illegally mined stones, and then dig up the trench all over again to make it appear as if the trench was untouched, they said. A senior Nuh administration official said usually the locals mine stones for domestic use — for construction of their houses, and some of them are also involved in the illegal trade of stones.

On Thursday night, the joint team of officials raided three crusher units in Dhondal, Biwan, and Mundaka in Nuh district, and found discrepancies, said police. Police and the district mining department, meanwhile, have formed an eight-member team and set up joint nakas for 10 days to keep a check on illegal mining and dumper trucks carrying stones in the region, said Singla. “Interstate police nakas have also been set up since August 29, to prevent illegal mining activities in the region... We have also received a complaint from some residents of Jhimrawat village that many were involved in illegal mining for domestic purposes in the area. We conducted surprise raids and found out that illegal mining activities for domestic purposes have been taking place in the area. A team of officials has been deployed to keep a check in the area,” Singla added.

Earlier this week, the Nuh police also conducted a drone survey on 29 villages, but did not notice any illegal mining activity there. Singla said they have also marked mining pits to ensure that no one tries to mine stones from any of the hillocks. “We have been conducting awareness drives across all the villages to ensure that people do not indulge in illegal mining activities,” he said.

The Nuh police, district mining department, and regional transport authority have also set up three checkpoints at the Rajasthan border, and one in Jhimrawat village. According to the authorities, while “large-scale illegal mining has been prevented in Nuh, it has been in full swing in neighbouring Alwar after illegal miners from Nuh shifted their base there”.

Anil Kumar, who was appointed the Nuh mining officer on Thursday, said the district mining department has also been checking crusher units across the district, and in further case of irregularities, will take strict action against the culprits. “We have identified several crushing units and spots where illegal mining activities take place. We are keeping a close watch on such activities, and will take strict action against people found involved in it,” said Kumar.