PATNA: Tension gripped Bihta town in Bihar’s Patna district on Tuesday after family members of 45 people for illegal sand mining, accompanied by the other villagers gheraoed the police station demanding their release.
According to Danapur Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abhinav Dheeman, officials of the Bihar’s Mining Department, including two women, were beaten with sticks and attacked allegedly by sand mining mafia after they seized overloaded sand trucks near Koliwar bridge under Bihta police station on Monday.
On getting information a police team with reinforcement reached the spot and arrested 45 people and seized two dozen trucks from the spot.
“A black Scorpio fitted with a walkie-talkie was also seized from the spot. During the investigation, police found that the Scorpio was being used by the Entry Mafia,” said Dheeman, adding that police are trying to arrest the owner as well as his accomplices.
The ASP said that Bihta police lodged four separate FIRs against the 55 named and dozens of others on the basis of the statement of three injured mining officials and the SHO of Bihta police station. All the arrested persons were sent to judicial custody on Tuesday evening.
On April 12, the mafia also torched a temporary check post that was set up between Bihta-Bhojpur road.
Meanwhile, Geology and mining minister Dr. Ramanand Yadav, who visited the spot on Tuesday, said the government would take steps to stop illegal mining. Yadav said no innocent would face criminal cases but those who are involved in the incident would not be spared.
“I have asked my department to coordinate with the authorities concerned to stop this, or face the consequences,” said Yadav.
What is Entry Mafia?
An Entry Mafia is a group, mostly youngsters, who escort illegal sand mining and overloaded trucks and ensure safe passage from their jurisdiction.
The trucks often do not have valid permits and are invariably overloaded and blatantly evade the tax they owe to the state. The members of the mafia convey the truck numbers and other details on cellphones or through SMS and a walkie-talkie to the transport officials. They are invariably caught and forced to shell out huge amounts of money.
