Jaleswar: A junior mining officer had a close shave from the jaws of death after the driver of a sand laden tractor allegedly tried to ram into his official vehicle in a bid to kill him here in Balasore district late Wednesday night. As a result of the collision, the vehicle veered off the road and plunged into a roadside drain. The incident occurred when junior mining officer Jeetendra Das along with constable Umakanta Singh was conducting a raid on excavation sites of unauthorised sand ghats in Jaleswar region around 1am Wednesday. Das promptly alerted the Jaleswar police. By 2:30am, Assistant Sub-Inspector Neelakantha Prusty arrived at the scene and seized both the sand-laden tractor and the officer’s damaged vehicle, and transported the vehicles to the local police station. The mining officer later filed a written complaint with the Jaleswar police, accusing the tractor driver of attempted murder. On the outskirts of Patharpura near Jail Road, Das encountered a sand-laden tractor bearing registration number OD-01AG-2344. While trying to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly rammed the tractor into his Bolero, causing the officer’s vehicle to fall into a drain. The driver then fled the scene abandoning the tractor. Police have launched an investigation, and further action is underway.
Sources said that the menace of illegal sand mining continues to escalate in Jaleswar area of Balasore district, putting government officials at increasing risk. Those involved in sand smuggling racket have grown so emboldened that they are reportedly attacking officials, at times attempting to run them over with vehicles to prevent enforcement actions. Further sources said that illegal sand transportation from the banks of the Subarnarekha River continues day and night despite enforcement efforts. Following repeated complaints, the district administration has directed intensified raids on unauthorised sand mining operations.
As part of the crackdown, the junior mining officer had also blocked access to parts of the river being used for illegal extraction. This action has reportedly angered the local sand mafia. Jaleswar, May 15: A junior mining officer had a close shave from the jaws of death after the driver of a sand laden tractor allegedly tried to ram into his official vehicle in a bid to kill him here in Balasore district late Wednesday night.
Also Read: Sand smuggling by Bengal mafia continues unabated
As a result of the collision, the vehicle veered off the road and plunged into a roadside drain. The incident occurred when junior mining officer Jeetendra Das along with constable Umakanta Singh was conducting a raid on excavation sites of unauthorised sand ghats in Jaleswar region around 1am Wednesday. Das promptly alerted the Jaleswar police. By 2:30am, Assistant Sub-Inspector Neelakantha Prusty arrived at the scene and seized both the sand-laden tractor and the officer’s damaged vehicle, and transported the vehicles to the local police station. The mining officer later filed a written complaint with the Jaleswar police, accusing the tractor driver of attempted murder. On the outskirts of Patharpura near Jail Road, Das encountered a sand-laden tractor bearing registration number OD-01AG-2344. While trying to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly rammed the tractor into his Bolero, causing the officer’s vehicle to fall into a drain. The driver then fled the scene abandoning the tractor.
Police have launched an investigation, and further action is underway. Sources said that the menace of illegal sand mining continues to escalate in Jaleswar area of Balasore district, putting government officials at increasing risk. Those involved in sand smuggling racket have grown so emboldened that they are reportedly attacking officials, at times attempting to run them over with vehicles to prevent enforcement actions.
Further sources said that illegal sand transportation from the banks of the Subarnarekha River continues day and night despite enforcement efforts. Following repeated complaints, the district administration has directed intensified raids on unauthorised sand mining operations. As part of the crackdown, the junior mining officer had also blocked access to parts of the river being used for illegal extraction. This action has reportedly angered the local sand mafia.
