Goons Open Fire At Officials While Inspecting Illegal Mining; Nobody Injured
Bhopal: A war between the state and Madhya Pradesh’s politically-powerful mining, illegal hooch and construction mafia seems to be unfolding. The week ended with a sub-divisional magistrate, a sub-divisional police officer and their team facing a hail of bullets while on inspection to track down illegal sand miners in Panna district. Miraculously, nobody was hurt in the latest attack that followed the killing of young IPS officer Narendra Kumar allegedly by the mining mafia, an assault on another IPS officer and the killing of a constable trying to stop illegal sale of liquor on Holi.
Police sources said a team led by SDM Nathuram Gaud, SDPO Jagannath and inspector Mohammad Aslam had gone to Harrai village to seize and destroy a temporary bridge constructed by the mafia to illegally transport sand to neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. As the team approached, goons trained their guns on them, forcing the police to open retaliatory fire. As firing continued, police reinforcements were rushed to the spot from district headquarters.
“No one was injured. We have identified the gang leader as Kuber Singh, a former dacoit of the area now active in illegal sand mining. He has a gang of goons who mine and sell the sand in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh,” a senior police official said.
However, Panna SP Anil Maheshwari sought to downplay the incident. “Woh UP ke badmash the (they were criminals from UP),” he said. “The officials went to destroy a temporary bridge they had constructed. Whether any firing took place or not is a matter of investigation.”
The sand mining mafia is active in almost all MP districts, destroying riverbeds that dry up in the winter and peak summer months and threatening many major rivers.
Narendra Kumar was killed on Thursday while trying to stop a tractor trolley ferrying illegally mined stones in Morena district, the same day a group of supporters of a BJP legislator attacked another IPS officer and his team trying to prevent sale of liquor.
UNDER ATTACK?
On Holi, IPS officer Narendra Kumar run over by a tractor-trolley carrying illegally-mined stones
On same day, liquor mafia goons killed a constable,
attacked another IPS officer over sale of liquor
On Saturday, sand mafia goons fired at a team led by the sub-divisional district magistrate. The team was to demolish a bridge set up to transport sand to UP
No comments:
Post a Comment