Bihar team of mining officials thrashed for stopping trucks in Patna; 44 arrested

PATNA: A team of Bihar’s mining department including a woman officer were attacked by miscreants after they stopped two trucks and parked the vehicles near an abandoned petrol pump on Monday afternoon.

After video clips of the attack emerged on social media, police said 44 people had been arrested for the assault and booked under multiple penal provisions including attempt to murder.

Patna district magistrate Chandrasekhar said the incident took place when the mining department team was carrying out a drive against overloaded vehicles with the help of Danapur administration. The team was led by district mining officer Kumar Gaurav, and comprised mining inspector Sayyed Farhin and Amya Kumari. The team seized two overloaded trucks near Koilwar bridge in rural Patna and had them parked.

Soon after, a group of miscreants reached the spot, threw stones at the officers and thrashed them mercilessly with bamboo sticks.

Chandrasekhar said he sent Danapur sub divisional officer and assistant superintendent of police Abhinav Dheeman to the spot and act against the miscreants.

A police team led by city SP Rajesh Kumar also went to the spot with reinforcements and caught the suspects.

Patna senior superintendent of police Rajiv Mishra said the Bihta police registered three FIRs against the suspects as well as truck owners under sections of attempt to murder and illegal mining based on the statement of injured mining officers.

They were booked under Section 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 34 (common intention), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 21 (1) and 4 (1) of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation of Development) Act.

SSP Rajiv Mishra said the police identified the suspects from the video clips that were being circulated. The crackdown against overloaded vehicles will continue, he said.

Illegal sand mining is rampant in Bihta and other places and vehicles, trucks and tractors, loaded with sand can be seen parked at several places in the state capital. Officials said mining officials and other officials were frequently attacked by the sand mafia when action is taken against them. One official said more than two dozen attacks have taken place against them over the past three and half months.