In a significant crackdown on illegal sand excavation, the Bori police in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district conducted a major raid on Thursday, confiscating machinery, vehicles, and cash with a total estimated value of a staggering Rs 3.35 crore.
Massive Haul from Dudhana Riverbed
The enforcement action unfolded at the Pimpli Gaike area along the Dudhana riverbed. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a police team led by Superintendent Ravindrasingh Pardeshi and Assistant Superintendent Jiwan Beniwa discovered a large-scale illegal mining operation. The officials stated that the excavation was being carried out in blatant violation of the terms and conditions of the official sand lease acquired through auction.
Upon reaching the site, the authorities found a fleet of heavy machinery and transport vehicles actively involved in the illegal extraction and movement of sand from the riverbed. The raid led to the immediate seizure of a wide array of equipment.
Detailed Inventory of Seized Assets
The police have taken into custody a substantial cache of assets used in the unlawful operation. The seized items include:
- Three excavators
- Three heavy-duty trucks
- One tipper vehicle
- Four tractors, two of which were loaded with sand
- One Mahindra SUV
- Six motorcycles
In addition to the vehicles and machinery, officials also confiscated Rs 5 lakh in cash from the spot. Furthermore, a large illegally stockpiled quantity of sand, measuring approximately 90 brass, was found at the location. The combined value of all the seized materials was calculated to be Rs 3.35 crore.
Legal Action and Accused Identified
The primary accused in the case has been identified as Ramesh Panditrao Gite, a resident of Jintur taluka in the neighboring Parbhani district. He, along with other suspects, has been formally booked for violating the district collector's sand ghat auction rules.
During the operation, the police detained 17 workers and drivers present at the site. They were later released after being issued formal notices. A comprehensive case has been registered under multiple legal provisions, reflecting the seriousness of the offences.
The charges have been framed under:
- BNS Sections 303(2) and 3(5)
- The Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 (Sections 48(7) and 48(8))
- The Environment Protection Act, 1986 (Sections 5 and 15)
This decisive action underscores the ongoing efforts by Maharashtra authorities to curb the rampant and environmentally damaging practice of illegal sand mining, which depletes natural resources and causes significant ecological harm to river systems.
