21 vehicles seized in mining crackdown in Nurpur district

In a major crackdown on illegal mining, the Nurpur district police seized 21 vehicles within 24 hours during a special drive in the Mand area of Fatehpur subdivision. The vehicles, including trucks, dumpers and tractor-trolleys, were allegedly being used to transport illegally extracted minerals from the Beas riverbed along the interstate border.

The operation was carried out under the leadership of Nurpur SP Kulbhushan Verma, with teams conducting extensive inspections and surprise checks in vulnerable stretches of the Beas. Particular focus was laid on stone crusher units operating in and around Majra, Rey Patan, Riyali, Indora and Bhogarwan.

During the drive, police identified two makeshift access passages carved out by miners in Rey-Pattan and Rehatpur panchayat areas to facilitate the movement of vehicles loaded with mining material. The passages were dismantled using a JCB machine to prevent further illegal transportation.

Speaking to The Tribune, SP Verma said the vehicles had been seized under provisions of the Mining Act and sent to court for legal proceedings. He asserted that the district police had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against illegal mining, particularly in interstate border zones, to curb environmental degradation and prevent revenue losses.