Hyderabad: A crackdown on illegal sand mining has begun to gather pace in Telangana following chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s directive for a CID probe, with enforcement agencies stepping up inspections, seizures and criminal cases across districts.Vigilance and enforcement officials said that in the last six months, 18 FIRs have been booked in connection with illegal sand mining and transportation, including three cases in March alone. The action follows the Congress govt’s decision to probe illegal mining activities dating back to June 2, 2014, when Telangana was formed. In 2025, the department processed 85 cases related to illegal sand mining and transport, with penalties amounting to Rs 51 lakh imposed on offenders by the mining department. Enforcement activity has intensified on the ground. Over the past six months, officials carried out 26 surprise inspections across 14 mandals in eight districts — Medak, Jangaon, Hanumakonda, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Narayanpet, Mahbubnagar and Khammam. During these operations, authorities seized 2,131 metric tonnes of sand, along with 10 excavators, six trucks and 39 tractors.Based on complaints filed by vigilance and enforcement officials, FIRs were registered in Karimnagar, Warangal, Medak, Nizamabad and Mahbubnagar districts. Legal action has been initiated against 70 accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Motor Vehicles Act. The crackdown has also extended to quarrying operations. In 2025-26, 15 inspections were conducted at stone and metal quarries, where around 30 lakh metric tonnes of material was found to have been excavated beyond permitted limits or from encroached land. “Penalties of Rs 30 crore have been imposed on the violators through mining department,” said a vigilance and enforcement official.
