Illegal sand miners attack police team, two arrested

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 18

Several persons involved in illegal excavation of sand attacked a police party and mining officials near Beas in the wee hours on Friday. The incident took place when the officials tried to intercept a tractor-trailer, laden with sand.

At first, the accused tried to run the tractor-trailer over the police party but when they were overpowered, more people carrying blunt weapons came to spot and attacked the cops. The police caught two of them following a scuffle while five others managed to flee in a car. The police have registered a case in this connection and raids are on to nab the accused.

The incident suggests that the illegal sand mining is rampant in the district and the errants, most of whom are sheltered by politicians, have no fear of law.

Those arrested were identified as Bikramjit Singh and Harjinder Singh of Bhalojala village. Among others who were booked include Sarabjit Singh, Jatinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Sarwan Singh and Bikramjit Singh.

Kirandeep Singh, SHO, Beas police station, said the police had received a tip-off that the accused were involved in illegal sand mining in Beas river and that they were going towards Rayya in a tractor-trailer carrying the illegally-excavated sand. He said a naka was laid near Cheema Bath village where a team of mining officer Suresh Sodhi was also present.

When the police team signalled the driver to stop, the accused accelerated the vehicle and tried to run over the cops who jumped on a side to save themselves. He said when they tried to give them chase, the accused tried to ram the tractor-trailer into the cops’ vehicle. However, they lost control over the tractor which fell to a side. The police managed to overpower three persons but all of a sudden, eight persons armed with sticks and baseball bats arrived at the spot in a car and a bike. They attacked the police team and freed Jatinder Singh, taking him away in their car. The police impounded the tractor-trailer with 100 cubic square feet sand.

The SHO said a case under Sections 307, 379, 353, 186, 225, 506, 279, 148 and 149 of the IPC and 21 (1) of the Mining Act was registered against the accused. He said raids were on to nab them.

Others on the run

• Cops along with mining officer signal a tractor-trailer, laden with sand, to stop near Beas but the driver tries to mow them. 
• After a brief chase, the police team manages to overpower three men but eight others arrive with baseball bats and attack cops. 
• The accused manage to get one man freed from the police clutches and flee.
• Case registered and raids are being conducted to nab them as they are at large.