Crackdown on illegal mining in Amritsar district, 16 held

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, September 2

The Punjab Police with the help of the Border Security Force arrested 16 persons from different areas falling under Ramdass, Bhindi Saida and Ajnala police stations in the rural belt here on Thursday.

The police confiscated four tractor-trailers and two pick-up vehicles laden with illegally excavated sand. Separate cases under the Mines and Minerals Act have been registered against them. Of the 16 arrested persons, 10 were later released on bail.

10 accused released on bail

• The police with the help of Border Security Force personnel arrested16 persons from different areas falling under Ramdass, Bhindi Saida and Ajnala police stations in the rural belt on Thursday
• The police confiscated four tractor-trailers and two pick-up vehicles laden with illegally excavated sand. Of the 16 arrested persons, 10 were later released on bail. They all face cases under the Mining and Mineral Act

Ramdass police booked Kuldeep Singh and Palwinder Singh, both residents of Chaharpur village, for illegal mining. The police got a tip-off that the accused were carrying out illegal mining in Kotli Barwala village. When a team of the Mining Department reached the spot, the duo fled away leaving two tractor-trailers behind.

Similarly, the Border Security Force apprehended 10 persons from Gulgarh village while digging sand illegally. It confiscated two pick-up vehicles from the spot which were later handed over to Bhindi Saida police. Those arrested have been identified as Sukhwant Singh of Dayal Rangar village, Nanta Singh of Awan Vasau village, Major Singh of Saidpur village, Bhola Singh of Dayal Rangar village and Lodha Singh, Manga Singh, Baljit Singh, Surajpal Singh, Yodha Singh, Amanjot Singh, all residents of Gulgarh village. All were later released on bail.

In another instance, Bhindi Saida police booked Mintoo and Harchand Singh of Talle village for similar offence. The mining officials along with a police party raided the village following a tip-off. They found fresh signs of tyre of machinery from the spot. Following demarcation, they booked the duo as the land belonged to them.

Similarly, Ajnala police arrested Sukhdev Singh of Raipur Kalan, Satnam Singh of Bhindi, Bhagol Singh, Gurnam Singh of Sarangdev village, Kulwant Singh of Raipur Kotli village and Lakhvir singh of Teda Rajputa village.

Sukhdev was nabbed by BSF jawans while he was driving tractor-trailer carrying sand in Raipur Kalan village. Remaining accused were also held by the BSF for excavating sand and loading it in a tractor-trailer from agricultural land. The land belonged to Gulab Singh.