A high-level joint enforcement team conducted a late-night raid on the Kilipal sand ghat of the Mahanadi river in Jagatsinghpur district. The team seized over 40 sand-laden heavy vehicles allegedly involved in illegal mining and transportation.
Jagatsinghpur: Stepping up the drive against illegal sand extraction, a joint enforcement team conducted a raid and seized 48 trucks loaded with sand stolen from various riverbeds in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district.
During the massive operation, which began around midnight and continued till Wednesday morning, at least four JCB machines used for illegal sand extraction were also seized and ten individuals detained.
The special operation was conducted under the supervision of the Central Range DIG, with the District Collector, SP, Sub-Collector and senior officials forming multiple teams to target the sand ghats in the district. More than 50 police and administrative personnel were deployed.
The teams focused on the Kilipal sand ghat along the Mahanadi River, where allegations of largescale illegal sand mining often surface. The seized trucks and machinery have been kept at different police stations, and cases will be registered soon, officials said.
This is perhaps the first instance in Odisha where such a large number of sand-laden trucks have been seized in a single operation. Further investigation is underway to trace the network involved in the illegal sand racket.
