Bihar: SDM’s bodyguard critically injured in sand mafia attack

A case under provisions of IPC and Mining Act were registered against the mafia members and one of the assailants Arvind Kumar of Rudrapura was arrested

The bodyguard of a sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Dehri was critically injured in a sand mafia attack on Sunday night.

10 sand loaded vehicles were seized during the raids. (File image)

The administration and police team led by Dehri SDM Sameer Kumar Saurabh were conducting raids against the illegal sand storage and transportation in coal depot locality and had seized 10 sand loaded vehicles when mafia men attacked on and started heavy stone pelting, police said.

The SDM’s bodyguard Santu Kumar was critically injured and admitted to Narayan Medical College and Hospital at Jamuhar.

A case under provisions of IPC and mining act were registered against the mafia members and one of the assailants Arvind Kumar of Rudrapura was arrested.

Raids were on to arrest the other accused, SDM Saurabh said.

Following a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order for preservation of rivers and ecosystem, the auction and mining of sand was postponed from June 1 to September 30. This resulted into a sand crisis and its illegal mining, smuggling to construction companies and dealers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The sand ghats of river Sone in Rohtas, Bhijpur and Aurangabad districts of Bihar and adjacent Garhwa and Palamu districts of Jharkhand are the highest and good quality sand producers.

The mining mafia, in collusion with the concerned departments officials, has continued its mining, transportation and sell mostly to UP markets to get lucrative earnings.

At least 28 persons have been killed in mafia gang war to control the lucrative trade during the last two years.

The state government is continuously checking the illegal business that is harming the ecosystem and state exchequer. The teams of administrative, police, mining and transport department officials have been formed in each district for round the clock crackdown against the sand mafia, officials said.

Several officers including two superintendent of police, four deputy superintendent of police, two sub divisional magistrate and district mining officers posted in these districts, have already been suspended for their alleged involvement in illegal mining.