10 arrested, trucks seized for illegal sand mining

JAIPUR: Cracking a whip against sand mining the Jaipur police have arrested 10 persons and have seized nearly 12 trucks and four tractor trolleys carrying the illegally mined sand from various police station areas in the city during early hours on Friday. Police said that the sand was mined from the Banas river belt. Police have also handed over the trucks and vehicles to the mining department for further action into the case.
According to the police, they have been getting regular inputs from the mining engineers and other employees of the mining department on the transportation of illegally mined sand. Supreme Court has already banned sand mining in the state still the mining mafias are into it.
"We have seized six trucks from different spots including Kothun road, Gurudwasi and Thikaria road area and have arrested four truck drivers. Sand found in the trucks was illegally mined from Banas river. We are also interrogating them to find out under whose behest they were into illegal mining," said a senior officer of Chaksu police station.
In a similar action, Bhankrota police have also seized four trucks carrying sand and have arrested six persons in this connection. "In all our recent cases with the proper coordination of the mining department we are taking stringent action against the defaulters," said a senior officer of Jaipur police.
Similarly two trucks were seized from Shivdaspura area. The primary investigation suggested that the truck driver and cleaner get nearly Rs 1000 each for illegal mining of sand and dropping it to the site asked by the persons.
An engineer with the mining department on condition of anonymity said, "After the ban the cost of one truck of sand is just triple of what it used to be. Thus, we are sharing all information with the police to ensure a crackdown on the illegal sand mining from Banas river belt and other areas."