In a tragic incident in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh, a local revenue department official, known as a patwari, lost his life after being crushed by a tractor-trolley engaged in illegal sand mining. The incident unfolded around midnight on Saturday, prompting swift police action and leading to the arrest of the vehicle's driver.
The patrolling team, including patwari Prasann Singh, intercepted the tractor-trolley near Son River in the Gopalpur area, a known hotspot for illegal sand mining activities. Singh, posted in Khadda of Bohari tehsil, attempted to halt the vehicle carrying unlawfully mined sand. Tragically, the driver callously ran over Singh, resulting in his immediate death. The driver fled the scene with the vehicle, compounding the severity of the situation.
Shahdol's Superintendent of Police (SP) Kumar Prateek reported that a thorough investigation was initiated promptly. The tractor's driver, identified as Shubham Vishwakarma (25) and a resident of Maihar district, was apprehended on Sunday morning. Vishwakarma now faces charges under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Complaints of illegal sand mining had led to previous interventions, resulting in the seizure of unlawfully mined sand from the same location on Thursday and Friday.
Vaidya further disclosed that the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Beohari and other officials had cracked down on illegal activities in the area until 8:30 pm on Saturday. Despite these efforts, the unfortunate incident transpired later in the evening when Singh and his colleagues were on the ground to evaluate the ongoing situation.
The seized tractor has been impounded, and investigations are ongoing to identify its owner. The tragic death of the patwari underscores the dangers associated with illegal sand mining activities and the urgent need for robust enforcement measures to safeguard the lives of officials working to curb such illicit practices.
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