Mining feud turns deadly: Man crushed to death in Paonta Sahib

Tension gripped the industrial town of Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district after a long-brewing feud linked to illegal mining exploded into a shocking act of violence at Kedarpur. A man was brutally crushed to death under a Scorpio vehicle on Wednesday afternoon, exposing once again the deep-rooted influence of the mining mafia operating along the Himachal-Haryana border.

The victim was identified as Ashraf Ali (35), a resident of Kalesar in Yamunanagar district. Police said Ashraf had stopped his dumper truck at a mechanic’s shop in Bhupur for repairs when the accused – Aashiq and Khurshid, both sons of Zahid from Kalesar, along with Aman – arrived in a black Scorpio (registration A/F). Without warning, they allegedly rammed the vehicle into Ashraf and then reversed it to crush him again before fleeing the spot.

Ashraf sustained grievous injuries and was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Paonta Sahib. He was being referred to PGI Chandigarh but succumbed to his wounds en route. Two others, Amjad (28) and Israr (21), who were with Ashraf, also suffered serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Police have registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the IPC against the trio. SP Sirmaur, Nishchint Singh Negi, confirmed that all three accused have been detained and are being interrogated. “Initial findings point to an old rivalry over the transportation of illegally mined material,” the SP said.

According to investigation details, the feud traces back to a dispute over dumper truck challans in Haryana. It is believed that a complaint lodged by Ashraf’s group against the accused had fuelled animosity, culminating in Wednesday’s deadly confrontation. Notably, two months ago, the same group had attacked Ashraf and damaged his vehicle.