Cracking a whip on the sand stone chips mining mafia, Garhwa police and mining department have jointly seized around 534 trucks and others vehicles carrying illegally mined sand, stone chips in the year 2018.  The department have seized 6,17114 cubic feet sand, 40,700 Cft stone chips and 28,25000 bricks in separated raids.  The department also recovered a fine of Rs. 26.57 lakh from illegal transporters of minor minerals. Police of the district have done maximum number of seizures as majority of the outer routes in the district are those which connect outer districts to Uttar Pradesh.

The outer police station like Banshidhar Nagar, Kandi, Manjhiaon police in the district has seized 135 trucks so far which is highest in the district in terms of seizures. In terms of the lodging of FIRs, the district has registered FIRs against 1254 persons, who were highest in the district. Senior police officers started acting sternly on information relating to them for illegal mining since April this year and were directed to ensure strict stop of illegal practice.

“Majority of these trucks moves towards Uttar Pradesh during late evening hours or early hours. That is when the police station concerned and other night patrolling teams are asked to remain active.

At many instances, we were also been tipped off by the public,” said Sivani Tiwari, Superintendent of Police Garhwa.  “In some of the cases we had lodged an FIR because, whatever violation has been done we need officers of the mining department as complainant.

In some of the cases, they merely penalize the truck drivers, which is the reason why sand is still coming into the city,” said a senior police officer.