Brahmapur: Eleven truck drivers were arrested for allegedly being involved in illegal sand mining from the Rushikulya riverbed in Odisha’s Ganjam district, police said Monday.
All sand-laden vehicles were seized in the Suramani area under the Belaguntha Police Station limits Sunday, a senior officer said.
“Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided the riverbed and arrested seven truck drivers from there, and four others fled the scene,” Belaguntha PS inspector-in-charge Rebati Sabar said.
Later, the four were arrested, she said.
The drivers couldn’t produce any permission for mining sand from the riverbed and also failed to furnish vehicle documents, the police said.
“The ownership of these commercial vehicles is under verification,” the inspector said.
Ganjam SP Harish BC said the police were committed to cracking down on the illegal mining of minor minerals, including sand, in the district.
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