Udupi Police Crack Down on Illegal Sand Mining, Arrest 22 from Uttar Pradesh
In a significant enforcement action, police in Udupi have arrested 22 persons hailing from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly conducting illegal sand extraction from the Varahi River. The operation, which took place near Marattur in Molahalli village of Kundapur taluk, resulted in the seizure of sand and equipment valued at over Rs 11.5 lakh.
Coordinated Raid Under Senior Officers' Guidance
Acting under the direct supervision of DSP Belliyappa KU and Brahmavar circle inspector Gopikrishna, the raid was executed by PSI Praveen Kumar R of Kota police station along with his dedicated team. The targeted location was an open space adjacent to the Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple at Marattur, where the accused were found to be illegally extracting and stockpiling sand from the Varahi River.
Substantial Seizures of Sand and Equipment
During the meticulously planned operation, law enforcement officials confiscated a substantial haul of materials. This included approximately 315 units of sand, estimated to be worth Rs 8.5 lakh, and three fibre boats valued at Rs 3 lakh that were utilized for transporting the extracted sand. Additionally, the police seized six iron spades with wooden handles, valued at Rs 800, and eight fibre baskets worth Rs 600, which were employed for loading the sand.
Details of the Arrested Individuals
The arrested accused have been identified as follows:
- Devananda Shetty from Halnadu, Udupi
- Individuals from Barabanki district, Lucknow: Amaresh (age 7), Kripal (32), Parashuram (35), Prabeen (20), Ramcharan (35), Satrohan (28), Ram Avatar (21), Bimalesh (23), Ramlal (40), Bola (23), Sanjay (27), Hiride Ram (27), Sarvan (21), Mukesh (24), Suraj (30), Neeraj (22), Kallu (19), Rajiv (26)
- Individuals from Koniya village, Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh: Karan (21), Prince (19), Kishun (19)
Legal Charges Filed Under Multiple Acts
A formal case has been registered at the Kota police station against the accused. The charges include Sections 303(2) (theft) read with 3(5) (common intention of several persons to commit crime) of the BNS Act, as well as Sections 4, 4(1A), and 21 of the MMDR Act, highlighting the serious nature of the illegal activities.
This operation underscores the ongoing efforts by Udupi police to combat environmental crimes and illegal resource extraction, aiming to protect natural assets like the Varahi River from unauthorized exploitation.
