Police and mining department officials launched a second crackdown on alleged illegal mining in the Rey-Pattan mand area under Fatehpur police station in Nurpur within four days.

The operation, led by DSP Jawali Biri Singh, was carried out on the intervening night of July 10 and 11. During the joint operation, the teams intercepted a Poclain excavator (Kobelco-220), a JCB machine and a tipper allegedly being used for illegal mining in the Beas riverbed.

Earlier, on the night of July 6, the police had conducted a similar operation in the same area, during which they seized one Poclain excavator, one JCB machine and five multi-axle trucks allegedly being used for the illegal extraction of minerals.

According to the police, a Quick Response Team (QRT) and personnel of the mining department, during special night patrolling in the interstate Rey-Pattan area adjoining the Beas River, detected heavy machinery engaged in extracting minerals from the riverbed and rounded up the miners.

However, the drivers of the excavators and the tipper fled the spot, leaving the machinery behind. The police seized the machinery, while the owners of the JCB machine and the tipper later reached the spot.

Nurpur ASP Dharam Chand Verma said the police had seized the machinery and registered an FIR under Sections 329(C) and 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals Act, and Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act against the owners of the seized machinery.

Preliminary police investigation has revealed that a mining mafia from neighbouring Punjab is active in the Himachal Pradesh jurisdiction of the Beas River in the mand area of Fatehpur subdivision in Nurpur.

According to the police, the mafia allegedly extracts minerals illegally from the riverbed and transports them for use in stone crushers operating in neighbouring Punjab that do not possess mining leases or permission.