Post arrest, questions raised over seized 'sand'

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Faridkot, March 27

The arrest of a man with illegally mined “sand” here has stirred a controversy with the accused claiming the seized material was coarse soil used in brick-kilns.

Acting on a tip-off, the police had impounded a tractor-trailer laden with “sand” at Kaler village of the district. The police nominated two persons — Jasvir Singh, alias Kala, and Sonu — both working at a brick-kiln, under various sections of the IPC and Mining and Minerals Development Act. While Jasvir was arrested, the other accused fled the scene.

Police differ

We have registered the case after getting a nod from district mining officials. The sand is used at brick-kilns but it is also part of construction work. —Sikander Singh, Investigating officer

Refuting the allegations, the accused claimed the police had not impounded sand, but coarse soil used in brick kilns to prevent clay from sticking during the formation of bricks in moulds.

Brick-kilns used the soil for making bricks by machine or hand. It was a poor quality sand that could not be used for construction purposes, claimed brick-kiln owners in the area. The use of the coarse soil-cum-sand in brick-kilns to lubricate the moulds to produce “sand-struck” brick had been in practice for years.

However, Sikander Singh, investigating officer, claimed the accused were making excavation beyond the permissible depth. “We have registered the case after getting a nod from the district mining officials,” he said. He, however, admitted the sand was being used at brick-kilns, but was also part of construction work.

“For years, illegal mining of sand had been going on without check in the area under political patronage, but with the change of government in the state, the police have started arresting even those excavating soil,” alleged a brick-kiln owner.