Illegal miners make a comeback

Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, October 14 

It seems illegal mining, which was under control following the police crackdown for the past several months and mainly due to monsoon, has once again raised its ugly head in Dera Bassi. 

The Mubarikpur police claimed to have impounded nine tractor-trailers laden with sand gravel at Kakrali village on the night of October 13. In all, seven persons have been booked for illegal mining. While three miners were arrested, four escaped taking advantage of darkness. 

Those arrested have been identified as Gurcharan Singh, Charanjeet Singh and Nirpal Singh. Lakhveer Singh, Jaspal Singh, Gurjant Singh and Manga, all residents of Kakrali village, have been booked. Mohinder Singh, Dera Bassi SHO, said the police got a tip-off that illegal mining of sand was undergoing near the riverbed at Kakrali village. A police party, under the leadership of Bhinder Singh Khangura, in charge of Mubarikpur police post, raided the area and impounded nine tractor-trailers. Three miners were caught red-handed. 

He said an FIR had been lodged under Section 379 and 4 (1) of the Mining Act. 

People directly or indirectly connected to the mining mafia had felt the pinch in March this year after the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, ordered for the transfer of the then Dera Bassi SDM Paramdeep Singh, DSP Purushotam Bal and Sarabjeet Singh, SHO, of Dera Bassi. That action came at a time when the state government was facing a severe political backlash over its apparent inability to curb illegal sand mining in the state.

Illegal miners fire shots to scare cops

Illegal miners reportedly fired two gunshots into the air to scare the police team that had raided an area close to the riverbed at Kakrali village following a tip-off. Following the incident, police teams from Dhakoli, Mubarikpur and Dera Bassi rushed to the spot. Sources said the police also retaliated by firing one shot. However, the police officials denied such firing incident taking place.