Published On : Mon, Apr 10th, 2017

Lohit Matani IPS raided Sand Bank after Crossing River: Seized 2 Poclain Machines and 7 Trucks worth Rs 2,20,20,000

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Nagpur:
In a secret and challenging operation, a team under Lohit Matani, ASP, Ramtek, Nagpur (Rural) Police raided Vagoda Bank of Pench River under the premise of Parsheoni Police Station. The team caught red handed 2 Poclain Machines and 7 trucks doing illegal sand mining. 7 trucks and 2 Poclain Machines seized worth Rs 2,20,20,000 were then impounded by the police under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.

According to the order of District Magistrate, sand mining is not allowed after 6 pm in the evening. Moreover, sand mining can be done only manually. However, it has been a trend to do sand mining during night using poclain machines. This allows the miners and sand mafias to earn easy and higher money in a short period, leading to a huge loss to the river ecosystem. Such loss to the river ecosystem is responsible for irregular floods during monsoons.

On secret information, ASP Ramtek planned an operation to raid the Vagoda Ghat at 2:00am on the morning of 9/04/2017. The team consisted of Lohit Matani IPS, HC Umesh Thakare, HC John Varghese, PC Sandeep Nagose, and PC Pritesh Nirvarne. The team raided the ghat after crossing the Pench River on foot. On the spot, they caught an accused, 2 Poclain Machines and 7 trucks being used in illegal mining.


On getting this information, Parsheoni Tehseeldar . Tele attended the spot and filed an FIR of sand theft in Parsheoni Police Station. SDM of Ramtek Sub Division, Ram Joshi also passed an order to impound 2 Poclain Machines and 7 trucks under the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.


The operation was a tough one as the sand mafias place their informers to inform in case a police party approaches the sand bank. However, the team under ASP Matani planned to approach the bank from the other side after crossing the Pench River by foot. They succeeded in catching the sand mafias red handed. The Vagoda Ghat is e-allocated to Atik Parvez Pathan, a resident of Saoner Tehsil, Nagpur. The whole operation was supported by a team of Parsheoni Police Station, under PI Gaigole, and Riot Control Police.

The case is under investigation by PSI Anil Raut of Parsheoni Police Station.