Illegal sand mining gang busted in Trichy

Trichy: The Trichy district police busted an illegal sand mining gang and booked 17 people including a woman near Samayapuram. Two of the accused have been arrested while the others were absconding.Acting on secret information, the Samayapuram police conducted a vehicle check near the railway gate at Thandankorai on Esanakorai Road in the late hours of Wednesday.They intercepted a truck. When they checked the vehicle, they found seven units of river sand. Police caught the driver R Velu, 36, of Akkalampatti.Investigation revealed that a couple R Silambarasan and his wife and truck owner S Brindha had asked bullock cart owners to mine sand illegally and supply it to them. So, the bullock cart owners took out the sand from Kollildam river and stored them at Valallar Nagar. The sand was later loaded into the truck.Police arrested the driver and a bullock cart. The sand was seized. All were booked under IPC and Mines and Minerals (development and regulation) Act. TNN