Whistleblower attacked in Palampur
Our Correspondent
Palampur, August 13
Sat Pal, up-pradhan of the Batthan panchayat in the Thural area of Palampur, who has been fighting mining mafia for the past 10 years, received serious injuries after he was attacked by some miscreants during a Van Mahotsav function on the banks of Neugal river this morning.
Sat Pal, a whistleblower, tried to save his life, but the miscreants chased and attacked him with lathis and iron rods. He received injuries on his face, eye and head. Residents of Thural took him to the local Civil Hospital. A doctor attending him said Sat Pal was out of danger. Meanwhile, the Thural police have registered an FIR against the culprits. Bhawarna SHO Kehar Singh said the accused had been identified, but were yet to be arrested.
Reports reaching here said panchayat pradhan Seema Devi and Sat Pal were fighting the mining mafia, which was active in the Neugal river. Both are also facing cases in the high court.
Sat Pal and Seema Devi have also filed a number of representations before the Chief Minister, Kangra Deputy Commissioner and SP over the large-scale illegal and unscientific mining going on in the Neugal river resulting in a loss of crores to the state exchequer. They had also approached the high court, Forest and Mining Departments, but the mining mafia continued to operate with impunity. Even illegal roads constructed by the mafia to the riverbeds were not dismantled. The panchayat had also passed over 10 resolutions opposing the leasing of private land for mining, but to no avail.
As per Seema Devi, “Mining in the Neugal river starts barely 500 metres from the Palampur-Hamirpur highway. It has witnessed an exponential rise with a boom in real estate. Despite several complaints by various panchayats over the damage caused to crops by the illegal mining, the mafia continues to flouirsh.”
Baijnath DSP Anil Sharma said an action would be taken against the guilty. He said he had directed the Bhawarna SHO to look into the matter and arrest the accused at the earliest.
