Nanded (Maharashtra): In a major crackdown on illegal sand mining, the police in Maharashtra’s Nanded have seized and destroyed equipment and materials worth Rs 3.15 crore used for illegal extraction of sand from the Godavari river, officials said Sunday.
The action was carried out October 16 following instructions from Nanded Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan.
The operation was conducted under the leadership of Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Manik Bendre, with teams from Nanded Rural, Airport and Mudkhed police stations participating in the coordinated raids.
According to an official police statement, simultaneous raids were conducted at several illegal sand extraction points along the Godavari riverbed.
During the operation, police seized and destroyed nine large iron boats, each valued at Rs 30 lakh, with a combined value of Rs 2.70 crore.
These boats were destroyed through controlled explosions using gelatin sticks after completing the necessary documentation at the spot.
One smaller boat worth Rs 15 lakh and a sand extraction engine valued at Rs 3.5 lakh were also destroyed.
Moreover, 23 floating rafts, each valued at Rs 50,000, along with 58 brasses of illegally extracted sand, were destroyed by burning and immersing them in the river. Their combined value was estimated at Rs 14.40 lakh.
Police also seized a tipper truck loaded with two brasses of sand, valued at Rs 12.10 lakh.
The total value of the seized and destroyed material stands at Rs 3.15 crore, according to the police.
The process of registering cases under various provisions, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), has been initiated at Nanded Rural, Mudkhed and Airport police stations.
The operation was supervised by Police Inspectors Ashok Jadhav, Ganesh Karad and Ramdas Shendge, along with their respective teams.
Police said such special drives would continue to curb illegal mining, protect the river ecosystem, and prevent revenue losses to the government.
