Birbhum Police Arrest 32, Seize 30 Lakh Cubic Feet Sand in Illegal Mining Crackdown

Birbhum district police and administration have intensified their campaign against illegal sand mining and stockpiling, arresting 32 individuals and registering 52 First Information Reports (FIRs) over the past two weeks. The crackdown, described as a multi-agency operation, has led to the seizure of more than 30 lakh cubic feet of illegally stored sand from various sites in the district.

The operation reached a critical point on Thursday following a high-level joint inspection led by Subham Agarwal, IAS, Additional District Magistrate (Land Reforms), and Nilesh Gaikwad, IPS, Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters). Acting on intelligence about large-scale illegal stockpiling in areas under Mohammad Bazar Police Station jurisdiction, authorities conducted a preliminary inquiry supervised by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (D&T). The inquiry confirmed the presence of enormous sand mounds at Girajpur and Mollaighat sand ghats.

At Girajpur sand ghat, officials uncovered 15.85 lakh cubic feet of illegally stored sand. Another 14.89 lakh cubic feet of sand was found at Mollaighat sand ghat. The total seized sand amounts to over 30 lakh cubic feet.

Illegal sand mining is a serious environmental and legal concern in many parts of India, often linked to organised crime networks. It exacerbates riverbed erosion, damages ecosystems, and leads to loss of revenue for the state. The Birbhum administration has stated that the crackdown will continue, with further investigations aimed at dismantling the supply chain of illegal sand operations.

The arrested individuals have been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. Authorities are also probing the involvement of local contractors and middlemen.