GHAZIABAD: Two men were caught trying to attach GPS tracking devices to the official vehicle of the district mining officer inside his housing society. The incident comes at a time when action against sand mining on the Yamuna floodplains has intensified, drawing the attention of the National Green Tribunal as well.According to the complaint filed by district mining officer Saurabh Chaturvedi, the incident occurred on March 17 between 9.35pm and 9.50pm at his residential society in Raj Nagar Extension, where his govt vehicle, UP32YN/3232, is usually parked.Referring to CCTV footage, Chaturvedi said the two men walked into the society through the main gate, went to the parking area where the vehicle is kept and began tampering with it. They apparently did not realise that Chaturvedi’s driver was already sitting inside. When the driver stepped out and objected, the two allegedly threatened to assault him and ran away.The driver raised an alarm and tried to catch them, but they escaped despite the presence of a guard and others from Chaturvedi’s team at the main gate. After being informed, a team from Moti outpost under Nandgram police station reached the spot and checked CCTV footage, which showed the two men entering and fleeing the society.On examining the vehicle, police found two magnetic GPS devices with SIM cards attached to the diesel tank. Investigators are now trying to determine whether the trackers were fixed on March 17 or had been planted earlier.In his complaint, Chaturvedi said he regularly conducts enforcement drives against illegal mining, unauthorised transport of minor minerals and revenue theft. He said he suspected the two men were linked to a sand mining gang and that the act was meant to obstruct official action while posing a threat to his life and property.ACP Nandgram Ziauddin Ahmad said an FIR had been registered against two unknown persons under sections 221 (whoever voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public function), 313 (punishment for belonging to a gang of robbers etc) and 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) of BNS.“We have obtained their images from CCTV footage and are trying to identify them. Teams have been formed to arrest the accused as early as possible,” he added.A senior police officer said Chaturvedi informed district magistrate Ravinder Kumar Mandar about the incident. The FIR, he said, was registered after the matter was taken up with the Nandgram SHO.
