Kendrapada: A day after the Supreme Court expressed concern over sand mafia operating in the country, a tehsildar of Jajpur district sustained serious injuries on Saturday after he was allegedly assaulted and run over by a tractor while trying to stop illegal excavation and transportation of minor minerals at Meena Bazaar Chhak under Korei police station.Prasanta Kumar Panda (53), tehsildar of Vyasanagar, attempted to intercept a soil-laden tractor but the driver allegedly rammed the vehicle into him, leaving the officer critically injured. Locals rushed Panda to the community health centre (CHC) at Korei, from where he was referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. His condition remains serious, said additional district magistrate (ADM), Kalinganagar, Sapan Kumar Nanda.Citing the Odisha Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, the ADM said lifting of soil or sand without prior permission is illegal. “We have directed police to take stern legal action against the miscreants who tried to kill the tehsildar,” Nanda said.IIC, Korei police station, Rakesh Mohapatra said police rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident and seized two soil-laden tractors. One person has been detained, while other accused managed to flee. “Raids are on to nab all those involved,” he said.A case has been registered under sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), besides provisions of the Odisha Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules. Investigation is on, police said.Alleging large-scale illegal mining in the district, social worker Amarbar Biswal said the incident exposed the unchecked operations of sand and soil mafias. “While sand mafias continue to plunder riverbeds, soil lifters are indiscriminately excavating soil from government as well as private lands without permission,” he alleged.Biswal further claimed illegal sand and soil lifting had turned into a lucrative cottage industry across several pockets of the district due to high demand from construction companies. “Officially, sand mining is allowed in around 45 riverbed reaches, but illegal lifting is rampant at nearly 75 other locations,” he said.He also alleged that frequent clashes among rival mafia groups have worsened law and order in many villages. Unregulated movement of heavy vehicles has damaged village roads, while uncovered sand and soil transports spill material onto highways, causing air pollution and frequent accidents, villagers alleged.
