7 booked for illegal mining in Amritsar

Amritsar, September 20

As many as seven persons were arrested in nine cases of illegal sand mining in the Amritsar rural belt. The police also recovered 3,400 cubic feet sand and nine vehicles, including a JCB and five trucks carrying the sand from the spot. while six has been absconding in

The mining officials discovered a 22 feet deep pit at Ballarwal village and found five trucks at the spot.

Harpal Singh, SHO, Ajnala police station, said officials got a tip off that illegal mining was going on at Ballarwal village. He said mining officials along with Ajnala police team raided the spot and found a huge pit from where several persons were involved in illegal sand mining. Five trucks were seized from the spot, the SHO said. The police arrested five truck drivers identified as Sardool Singh of Raipur Kalan village, Daljit Singh of Kuhala village, Balraj Singh and Jatinder Singh of Sahowal village and Kulwant Singh of Khanwal village.

He said six separate cases were registered in this connection. While five FIRs were registered against the truck drivers, sixth FIR was registered against unknown owner of the land. He said demarcation of the land was being done to identify the owner of the land.

Similarly, illegal mining was also reported from Sodia village falling under Lopoke police station area here. A tractor trolley and a JCB were seized from the spot. A case was registered against six persons following a preliminary probe. They were identified as Rajmehal Singh, Keer Singh, Ranjit Singh, Paramjit Sigh, Sukhdev Singh, all residents of Sodia village and Ranjit Singh of Shahpur village, though no arrest was made in this regard till now.

Meanwhile, Harpinder Singh of Kathunangal and Balkar Singh of Dujowal village were arrested with from Kathunangal and Langomahal village with customised and modified vehicles laden with sand. Balkar Singh was later released on bail.