Greater Noida: Three arrested for unauthorised sand mining

Police on Thursday arrested Sonu Momnathal, who was on their wanted list, and his two accomplices from the Yamuna river bank in Gulawali village. Police also seized

Police on Thursday arrested Sonu Momnathal, who was on their wanted list, and his two accomplices from the Yamuna river bank in Gulawali village. Police also seized two trucks loaded with sand, a Hyundai Verna car, a country made pistol, five live cartridges and four mobile phones allegedly from their possession.

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Varun Pawar, station house officer, Knowledge Park police station, said that police team had received information about unauthorised sand mining in the area in the morning. “A police team reached the spot to stop the sand mining and found some people at the spot. The police arrested Sonu Momnathal, son of sand mining mafia Sanjay Momnathal, and his two accomplices – Raj Kumar and Sanjay Kumar – from the spot,” he said.

Pawar said that the three suspects had allegedly engaged some workers and were loading the sand in trucks. “The suspects used to arrive early. They used to load the trucks and then flee the spot. The police received information about their presence on Thursday morning near Yamuna bank in Gulawali village. The team secretly recorded videos of unauthorised sand mining before the suspects were arrested,” he said.

Pawar added that Momnathal is a listed criminal with six cases under the Gangster Act, the Goonda Act and several sections of the IPC. Police have registered a case against the three under Section 379 (theft), Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) along with Section 4/21 of the Mines and Minerals (development and regulation) Act, 1957. “The suspects were produced in court and sent to judicial custody,” Pawar said.