Haridwar Police has claimed to have arrested three out of six named illegal mining accused on Thursday in connection with the attack on ASP Pralad Narayan Meena, his gunner and other policemen by illegal mining operators while they were conducting raids in riverbed areas, Roorkee.
However, the incident has exposed the chinks in police preparedness in emergencies. The accused have been identified as Chhanga, Sultan and Riyasat, all natives of Jalalpur.Meanwhile, acting on a tip- off about a tractor laden with illegal quarried materials coming from riverbed areas towards Jalalpur, Roorkee ASP Meena along with police force had conducted raids in the riverbed areas, Jalaapur, Roorkee on Wednesday evening.
Policemen asked the tractor driver to stop at a place in the area, but the driver paid no heed and rather tried to run them over.The driver reached the house of one Gufran at Jalalpur. Police chased the driver and later he was caught.However, Gufran and his brother and neighbours began arguing with police and manhandled them.
Gufran even tried to fire shots at the policemen, but ASP gunner pushed his hand in the air and consequently,bullets hit the air. Due to firing, chaos ensued and the accused driver got freed from the police custody in the melee.When the situation became normal, police brought the tractor laden illegally quarried minerals at Roorkee Police Station. A case under section appropriate sections of IPC was registered against six unidentified persons in the Roorkee Police Station on Wednesday evening.