Rajasthan: Crackdown on illegal mining; explosives and heavy machinery seized

Jaipur, Sep 24 (IANS) The Karauli Police in Rajasthan launched a large-scale operation against illegal mining, resulting in the seizure of gravel, explosives, and heavy machinery, an official said on Wednesday. 

The action, carried out in multiple police station areas, was conducted under the direction of Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sonwal and supervised by Additional SP Gumna Ram along with Circle Officers Kanhaiyalal, Anuj Shubham, and Meena Meena, said officials on Wednesday adding that a joint team of Karauli Police, the district administration, and the Mines Department raided Kanthda Hadoti village in the Sapotra police station area on Tuesday.

The team seized nearly 2,790 tonnes of gravel (around 700 trolleys) illegally extracted from the Banas River. The stockpile was found along the riverbank at the Karauli–Sawai Madhopur border (Khandar). In a parallel operation, Langra police station seized explosive materials used for mining.

The recovery included 47 Rajjail-90 high-explosive rods (Class-2), 925 feet of detonator wire, a Massey tractor, and a compressor machine along with iron tools such as drills, hammers, and chisels. Meanwhile, in another raid near Kanketiyapura village, police teams seized two hydra machines and a compressor machine.

Upon the arrival of police, workers involved in illegal mining abandoned the equipment and fled into the nearby forest. In separate cases, police arrested two accused linked to illegal stone mining. 

Kotwali police seized gravel and arrested Sonu Kashyap, son of Vishnu, a resident of Masalpur, along with a tractor-trolley loaded with stones near a GSS. 

Similarly, Mamachari police apprehended Bani Singh Gurjar (39), son of Jagannath, a resident of Mamachari, who was caught transporting illegal Cheja stones on a tractor-trolley near the Maholi liquor shop. 

Cases have been registered under the relevant sections, and further investigation is underway. Police officials said the drive against illegal mining will continue with stricter monitoring and coordinated actions to dismantle the mining mafia. 

--IANS

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