November 27, 2024

During check, cop mowed down by Bihar sand mafia | India News

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PATNA: A Bihar sub-inspector (SI) was mowed down Tuesday by a tractor ferrying illegally mined sand in Jamui district, extending a pattern of such attacks on law-enforcers by the sand mafia.
Prabhat Ranjan (28) was declared dead after being rushed to hospital. A home guard jawan, Rajesh Kumar Sao, was also hit by the tractor in Garhi police station area and is now under treatment.Ranjan was a 2018-batch SI and a native of Vaishali district.
Jamui SP Shaurya Suman said police had a tip-off about illegal sand mining in Chandwara area, around 5km from the Garhi police station where Ranjan was assistant SHO. Ranjan and Sao were out checking such activities when they spotted the tractor.
“They tried to stop the tractor. However, the driver, Krishna Ravidas, ran the vehicle over them and fled. The tractor has been seized and a man accompanying the driver arrested,” the SP said.
The SI and the home guard jawan were taken to Jamui Sadar Hospital. “The doctors declared the SI dead on arrival. Sao has been referred to a private hospital for better treatment,” Suman said.
According to the SP, the arrested person, Mithilesh Thakur, is a resident of neighbouring Nawada district. “The driver, who also hails from Nawada, and the owner of the tractor are absconding. A special team has been formed to arrest them,” Suman said.
Several such murderous attacks by the sand mafia have been reported in Bihar over the past few months, mostly from Patna, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Saran and Vaishali districts.
In April this year, three officers — including two women inspectors of the mines and geology department — were targeted by the mafia during a drive against them at Bihta, near Patna. Soon after, the department decided to train its 90 inspectors, including around 30 women officers, in countering such attacks, an official said.
‘Such cases occur in other states too’: Mantri stirs row
Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar stirred controversy Tuesday over sub-inspector Prabhat Ranjan’s murder by the sand mafia, saying “such incidents keep happening in other states, too”, reports Kshitiz Singh.
“This is a crime. There are criminals who commit such crimes from time to time. The state government is against crime and takes action in such cases,” the RJD leader said in Sitamarhi.
Chandrashekhar, who is known to make controversial statements, claimed such attacks also occurred in BJP-governed Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
LJP (Ram Vilas) chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan wondered “if the sand mafia had the protection of the government”. “Questions arise on the chief minister’s (Nitish Kumar’s) leadership. Are these crimes happening under his protection?” Chirag wrote on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).
BJP’s Shahnawaz Hussain also hit out at the Nitish-led Grand Alliance government and demanded tough action against the mafia.



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