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Mining Mafia Trains Gun at Woman SDM, Runs Away With Vehicle

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Bhopal: Amid extensive state-wide crackdown on unlawful mining operations, illegal miners are losing temper and threatening officials at gun point.

On Wednesday, an illegal miner threatened a woman SDM at gunpoint when she stopped his tractor-trolley laden with illegally mined sand in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

The Rajnagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sonia Meena, was returning after an inspection of mining operation from Bameetha on Wednesday when she spotted a tractor-trolley.

After initial interrogation, the woman officer seized the vehicle and asked one of the home guards to drive the tractor to nearby police station.

Upset over seizure, the driver Arjun Singh Bundela whipped out a gun and pointed it towards the SDM, said sources.

Abusing the home guard, Bundela made him de-board the vehicle and ran away with it.

The SDM then approached Bameetha police station and summoned Thana Incharge SP Singh Sisodia and CSP Israr Ansari.

The officer however ducked media queries but constable Naresh Chauhan while talking to scribes accepted that he challenged the driver but could not do much as he brandished a gun.

Revenue and police personnel are busy cracking down on mining mafia in Chhatarpur following orders from the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Meena herself has raided several places and seized illegally mined material, vehicles and equipments engaged in unlawful operations in the past few days.

Alongside Panna, Bhind, Morena, Gwalior and Sehore; Chhatarpur is among the areas worst-affected by unhindered illegal mining operations.

Following opposition outcry, CM Chouhan has ordered a crackdown on illegal miners.