Pathankot police crack the whip on illegal mining, book 15

The Pathankot police, acting on inputs from various sources, on Sunday claimed to have confiscated 11 tippers, one trailer and two proclain machines from an illegal mining site in Guggran village on the banks of the Ravi river. The police acted in collaboration with officials of the Mining Department.

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The police have registered an FIR against 15 people at the Narot Jaimal Singh police station. They have been booked under the Mines and Minerals Act, 1957. Various sections of the BNS have also been clamped on them.

SSP Daljinder Singh Dhillon said out of the 15 accused, eight had been arrested from the spot while the remaining managed to flee. “We intend to arrest them soon as we have information about their hideouts,” he said.

Four of the 11 tippers were fully loaded with mining material.

SSP Dhillon added, “We have formed special teams, which are looking into acts of illegal mining. Pathankot is a mining rich district due to which unscrupulous elements have pitched tent here. The police are aware of this and we intend to launch a crackdown on people engaged in illegal mining. Nobody will be spared. People should understand that such activities cause significant damage to the environment by polluting water, air, and soil. It leads to deforestation, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity, which has a severe impact on the ecosystem.”