Noida Police on anti-sand mining drive, arrest 9

The district administration of Gautam Budh Nagar conducted a massive anti-sand mining drive and arrested nine persons, and seized around 20 vehicles and machines used for sand excavation from Raipur Khadar village along the Noida Expressway on Monday.

According to the police, the accused have been identified as Mulchand Singh, Manish Singh, Shree Krishan, Vashraj, Satish, Nizzamudin, Kamlesh, Navjeewan and Sujeet Kumar. They were arrested as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) bar council had filed a petition in the tribunal which banned sand mining on Yamuna floodplains.

"We witnessed a lot of illegal mining across the Yamuna Expressway following which teams have been conducting drives to cut the sand excavation. We had received a tip-off about illegal sand mining in Raipur village. A raid was conducted. The accused started fleeing the spot. The police chased the suspects and arrested them," said Vedpal Singh Pundir, Station House Officer, Expressway Police station.

Later, the police and officials of sand mining department, revenue department, district administration held a meeting and booked all the persons in the case. However, three of the nine accused claimed they were picked up randomly while going to relieve themselves in the open field early morning.

Police, however, said the accused were making excuses to escape. "They are all involved directly or indirectly, as they keep working as either labourers or a driver or in finalising the deals. We have booked them under sections 430 (Mischief by injury to works of irrigation or by wrongfully diverting water), 431(Mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel) and 4/21 of mineral and mining Act," Pundir added.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate BN Singh has instructed all sub-divisional magistrates to prepare a list of those involved in illegal sand mining in their respective areas.

Illegal sand mining has been a lucrative business in Gautam Budh Nagar district, especially because sand is in huge demand for the construction activities in Delhi-NCR.