Explosives being supplied from Rajasthan to Mahendragarh for illegal mining

Tribune News Service

Ravinder Saini

Mahendragarh, April 29

Explosives are, as per sources, illegally being supplied to Mahendragarh district from Rajasthan for mining activities. The perpetrators have links with residents who are indulging in carrying out illegal mining at different places in the district.

The district has recorded three cases of seizure of explosives in the past three months and every case is found to be linked with Rajasthan. It indicates the unabated use of the explosives in the district.

In the latest incident, the district police arrested four persons, including three Rajasthan residents, in connection with the cross-border supply of the explosives for illegal mining. The preliminary probe by the police into the case has revealed some astonishing information.

“The explosives like detonators, blasting wires and other items were being supplied to a former gram sarpanch of Zerpur village in the district from Rajasthan in a SUV when we nabbed the vehicle driver, Ajit Kumar of Neem Ka Thana (Rajasthan), two days ago. During the interrogation, he disclosed that the explosives were provided by Mukesh, another Rajasthan man, who is employed at a mining site there,” Sub-Inspector Gobind, In-charge CIA, Mahendragarh, said.

He said Mukesh had managed to get the explosives from the mining site he was working at. These were to be used in illegal mining. Another man from Rajasthan had also been found involved in the case, hence all four were arrested.

Early this month, the police also recovered two compressor machines, 600 ft-long blasting wire and 100 detonators from a house in Digrota village under the Satnali police station.

In January, a joint team of the Department of Mines and Police had seized detonators, safety fuses, wires and other materials used in the blasts at Dholera village. The perpetrators had dug holes at five places in the village hill to trigger the blasts when the raid was conducted there. They could not trigger the blasts as they got to know about the raid and fled the spot. The police are yet to ascertain the origin of these explosives.

ASI Sajjan Singh, Investigation Officer in the Dholera explosive seizure case, said all local sellers of explosive items were contacted regarding the case but could not get any lead about the origin of the explosives.

“An investigation is still underway to ascertain those involved in supplying the explosives. We are also planning to visit those factories in neighbouring Rajasthan where the explosives are made,” he added.

Bhupinder Singh, Mining Officer, could not be contacted for his comment despite repeated attempts while another official said it was the duty of the police to find out from where the explosives were being supplied to Mahendragarh and arrest those indulging in the illegal act.

Four arrested in latest incident

In the latest incident, the district police arrested four persons, including three Rajasthan residents, in connection with the cross-border supply of the explosives for illegal mining

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