7 arrested for illegally extracting sand from river bed

A former councillor of Aska urban local body and six others were arrested in Odishas Ganjam district for illegally extracting and transporting sand from the Rushikulya river bed at Sunambha sand quarry, police said.

The arrest was made on Sunday when police carried out a raid at the site following a tip-off, a police officer said.

Six vehicles including two hywas, two tractors a truck and an excavator, many forged transit passes and two magic pens used to alter date, time and destination of the transportation of the sand were seized from the spot, said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Aska Suryamani Pradhan.

While former councillor of Aska Notified Area Council (NAC) Kailas Pradhan was stated to be the prime accused in the racket, the other six arrested were identified as Jaya Kumar Das, Rankanidhi Gouda, Dhruba Moharana, Sanjay Das, Dhruba Moharana and Dhruba Naik - all drivers of the vehicles, he said.

They were arrested under relevant sections of IPC and Odisha Mineral (Prevention of theft, trading and transportation) Rule-2017, said police.

The leaseholder of the quarry is absconding and efforts are on to find him for further inquiry and to ascertain whether more people are involved in illegal sand transport activities, police said.

"The accused used forged transit passes and other documents to extract sand from the quarry," a police officer said, adding the police would write to the mining department and Tehsil offices to estimate the quantity of sand mined in the area beyond their lease permit and period of lease.

He said police have launched a drive against illegal sand mafia and will continue raids whenever it gets information about illegal extraction and transportation of sand from the river beds in the district.