Shimla/Tuticorine: The illegal sand mining mafia seem to have spread their 'network' across the nation. After Durga Shakti Nagpal of Uttar Pradesh was suspended recently allegedly for her crackdown on the mafia, another IAS officer was attacked during a raid on illegal mining in Himachal Pradesh.
Down South in Tamil Nadu, a district collector, who was taking actions to stop illegal sand mining in the area, has been transferred.
A sub-divisional magistrate, who was trying to check illegal mining in Nalagarh area of Himachal Pradesh, escaped unhurt when a tractor carrying illegally mined stones repeatedly rammed into his vehicle, police said on Thursday.
Nalagarh Sub Divisional Magistrate Yunus Khan, a batch-mate of suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who had taken on the sand mafia in Uttar Pradesh, was attacked at Sirsa Bridge on Nalagarh-Ropar road, 140-Km from here, Wednesday evening.
The flying squad vehicle of Yunus was hit three-four times by the tractor-trailer carrying the legally mined stones and finally the driver tried to throw the material on to the vehicle of Yunus, they said. However, the material did not fall on the vehicle of Yunus.
"SDM Yunus had gone to the site to check illegal mining along with other officials last evening and when he spotted two vehicles loaded with gravel and sand, he signalled them to stop. But one of the vehicles moved towards his vehicle and tried to hit it," Superintendent of Police S.Arul said.
"Driver of the vehicle Makhan Singh has been arrested and investigations are in progress," he said. Officials said the SDM’s vehicle overtook the tractor-trailer but instead of stopping it, the driver hit his vehicle.
"We got reports of other incidents also where illegal mining is being carried out and hope to book some people," Arul said. The mining mafia is active in the area bordering Punjab.
The incident comes days after 28-year-old Nagpal, a 2010-batch IAS officer, was suspended on July 27 by the UP government ostensibly for ordering demolition of wall of an under-construction mosque. However, Nagpal's suspension has evoked sharp reaction from Opposition parties which alleged that she was removed for acting against the sand mafia.
Tuticorin District Collector Ashish Kumar transferred
Tuticorin District Collector Ashish Kumar, who had cracked down on illegal sand mining in the area, has been transferred. With a section of the media reporting that he was transferred after he took action against illegal sand mining in the area, Kumar today said, "It is government's decision. I cannot comment."
Kumar has now been posted as Deputy Secretary of Noon Meal Scheme in Chennai. He was one of the four officials in the state, who were transferred by the Tamil Nadu government on August 6.
Kumar had told reporters on Wednesay that action was taken against some companies at Padukapathu, Vembar, Vaipar and Periyasamypuram villages based on complaints that these companies were mining sand without permission.
Meanwhile, M. Ravikumar on Thursday assumed charge as the new District Collector of Tuticorin.