Patna: Police seized three trucks loaded with illegal sand during a late-night raid in Patna district’s Ranitalab police station area on Wednesday. The action was based on a tip-off.
A team led by Paliganj SDPO-2, Pankaj Kumar Sharma, laid a trap near Janpara village under Ranitalab police station. When police stopped and checked the suspicious trucks, all three were found carrying sand without valid documents or mining challans. The vehicles were immediately seized and brought to Ranitalab police station. However, the operators fled, taking advantage of the darkness, and no arrests could be made.
“After the seizure, the mining department was informed. A team from the department reached Ranitalab police station and, after document verification, filed an FIR against the three trucks under sections related to illegal mining and transport. The department also imposed a hefty legal fine of Rs 36 lakh on the vehicle owners and mafia involved,” the SDPO-2 said.