Bhubaneswar: A Revenue Inspector (RI) in Bolangir district was allegedly attacked by the sand mafia during enforcement against the loot of minor minerals Thursday. The Revenue Inspector identified as Sushant Patel said that the incident occurred near Mushundi village under the Salebhata outpost in the district when a joint enforcement squad was escorting three tractors loaded with stones and sand to a local police station for allegedly transporting minor minerals while paying royalty to the government.
As per the instruction of Agalpur Tehsildar Sushree Saroja Behera, the enforcement squad conducted the raid early morning Thursday and seized two tractors loaded with stones.
On their way to the police station, they caught another tractor loaded with sand. All three tractors didn’t have the required documents to carry the minor minerals, said Patel. Near Musundhi village, the sand-laden tractor tried to flee from the place. When opposed, the tractor driver allegedly made an attempt to run over the squad official, he said. The RI captured the entire incident on his mobile. The owner of the sand-laden tractor attacked the RI from the rear, snatched his mobile, and put it on fire to destroy the evidence.
A case has been registered against the sand mafia Santosh Kumar Pradhan and he was arrested, said Tophan Bag, a subdivisional police officer (SDPO), Bolangir.