Officials set fire to rafts, boats used for illegal sand mining in Bhalki village

BIDAR: Officials of the Mines and Geology Department and the police came down hard on illegal sand miners by setting fire to boats and rafts used in sand mining in the Munjra river near Manikeshwar village in Bhalki taluk.

For the last several months, illegal sand mining had been going on at the Munjra river, causing distress to farmers. However, illegal sand mining had continued unchecked.

On Saturday, acting on specific information, the Officials of the Mines and Geology Department and the police conducted a raid at the place where sand mining was going on, set fire to boats, rafts and other equipment and warned the illegal sand miners. The incident occurred under Bhalki Rural police limits.