MOHALI: In a major crackdown by the Mohali police on illegal sand mining, a checking drive was launched on Wednesday night, which led to the arrest of 16 members of illegal mining groups from Abhipur, Kubhaheri and Miyapur Changer villages, which are under the jurisdiction of the Majri police station.
The operation was led by SP (rural) Dr Ravjot Kaur Grewal and DSP (Kharar-2) Bikramjeet Singh Brar, under the supervision of Mohali SSP Satinder Singh.
SSP Satinder Singh said, “Various teams were deputed to prevent illegal mining in the jurisdiction of Majri police station and raids were conducted at various locations. A total of five cases have been registered at the Majri police station under sections 4 (1), 21 (1) of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development Act 1957) and Section 379 of the Indian penal Code.”
He said the modus operandi of the group was to deploy their associates at certain locations to keep a check on activities of the officials deputed on duty by the police and the mining departments. “They also kept escort vehicles to prevent apprehension of their illegal sand tippers,” said the SSP.
The arrested accused have been identified as Rinku, Bhupinder Singh, Amarveer Singh, Mustak Mohamad, Hukam Mandle, Raman Kumar, Parminder Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Tejinder Singh, Harwinder Singh, Sandeep, Kamal Babu, Gurjant Singh, Gurnam Singh, Gurcharan Singh and Mohit Sharma.
Deputy superintendent of police (Kharar-2) Bikramjeet Singh Brar said, “One licenced pistol of .32 caliber, five loaded tippers, one poclain machine, one Mahindra Scorpio SUV and one Tata Safari SUV has been seized. During investigation, the arrested accused confessed that Chardi Kala Crusher, Captain Crusher and Baba Sher Singh Crusher were indulged in illegal mining.”