Criminal nexus: Sand mafia attacks police team in Panipat

Tribune News Service

Panipat, March 3

The sand mining mafia attacked a police team in the Bapoli area here last night.

Hit by a tractor-trailer laden with sand, Bapoli SHO SI Mahabir Singh’s official vehicle overturned on the road.

The SHO and his team members had a narrow escape as they jumped from the vehicle in the adjoining fields. However, the driver, SPO Nahar Singh, got stuck in the vehicle and was later pulled out of the overturned vehicle.

The driver of the tractor-trailer laden with sand — identified as Monu, alias Gulri, of Hathwala village in Samalkha — tried to flee the spot but was nabbed by the police.

The police have registered a case against him under Sections 186, 427, 332, 353 and 307 of the IPC and Section 21(4) of the Mining Act on the complaint of the Bapoli SHO. A probe into the matter has been started.

In his complaint, SHO Mahabir said he along with his team — Head Constables Sandeep and Tejpal, and SPOs Dharambir and Nahar Singh — were patrolling the area in the official vehicle, when they spotted a tractor-trailer laden with sand coming from the Khojkipur village side. “We signalled the driver to stop. As he saw us, he smashed the tractor into the SHO’s official vehicle, overturning it. Driver Nahar got stuck in the vehicle and was pulled out by Sandeep immediately,” he added.

The police impounded the tractor-trailer and nabbed the accused from the spot.

SP Shashank Kumar Sawan said a case had been registered and the accused was arrested. The accused was produced in a court, which sent him on one-day police remand, the SP added.

Inspector Sumit Kumar, Mining Department, said no sand mine was officially operational from Gumthala in Karnal to Samalkha in Panipat along the Yamuna banks.

However, sand was available along the Yamuna banks in all villages and some locals were involved in the illegal activity, he added. “Action has been initiated against the offenders, but they have a big nexus,” the inspector added.

ACCUSED HAS CRIMINAL PAST

• Monu, alias Gulri, of Hathwala village in Samalkha was an accused in a case of illegal mining around 4-5 years ago
• Monu was discharged in the illegal mining case, but was convicted of assaulting a police team

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