Mining mafia attacks G&M staff, police
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 4: Having gone unbridled, the mining mafia men attacked a joint team of Geology and Mining staff and police in Tawi, near fourth bridge during an operation last mid night.
Official sources said that after receiving information about illegal mining in Tawi river during night hours, District Mineral Officer (DMO) Jammu and his staff along with a police team led by Sub Inspector organized a joint operation to seize the tractor trolleys and arrest the accused involved in the illegal mining.
The High Court of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh has already imposed a ban in river Tawi, down stream the Sidhra Bypass bridge to carry out any mining activity. At around 11.30 pm when the team reached the spot, they spotted 4-5 tractor trolleys carrying out mining activity in the river (Baddi Tawi) near fourth bridge, adjoining Tawi River Front project site.
About 15-20 people were engaged in the illegal activity. As the team arrived nearby in the river bed, these people resorted to heavy stone pelting on the team.
Within 5-10 minutes about three dozen more persons gathered near the bridge and they resorted to heavy stone pelting on the team. The police and staff along with DMO were made to flee the spot by the mining mafia men. DMO’s Bolero vehicle was damaged and his driver Manjit Kumar sustained injuries due to stone-pelting. Vehicle’s wind screen and side window panes were damaged in the attack besides lights. The driver and other staff escaped for their lives. The police had already fled before the staff. The DMO had a narrow escape in the attack. The mafia men then escaped along with the tractor trolleys taking cover of darkness.
DMO Jammu, Virender Singh when contacted said that after receiving specific inputs about illegal mining in Tawi during night hours, he organized an operation. The police assistance was also sought for it. But during mid- night operation, they found themselves trapped among the mining mafia people. They appeared to be already prepared. Those loading tractor trolleys might have contacted their other associates on Cell phones who arrived there within 5-7 minutes and started pelting stones on the team, he revealed.
The District Officer further said that his driver sustained injuries and his official vehicle was badly damaged by the mafia. He said the police party hardly had weapons, though they were told to carry weapons apprehending trouble in night operation.
Singh said an FIR has been lodged with the Nawabad police in this connection. He said there is ban on the mining activity in river Tawi in and around Jammu but mining mafia, taking advantage of darkness operate during night hours. He said that the matter was communicated to the Director G&M, J&K and the SSP Jammu as well. The action in this regard is yet awaited.
He said there was possibility of leakage of information about night operation and the mafia men seemed to be already prepared for the attack.
It is pertinent to mention here that despite strict warning to the Jammu police and the G&M staff by the High Court in the past to keep check on the illegal mining activity in Tawi, the unbridled mining mafia continued to operate with impunity during night hours.
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