The Rugudi police busted a racket of high grade mining theft on Thursday. Sources close to Barbil SDPO Mukesh Kumar Bhamu said that three accused Amar Rajak, Mantu Mahanta and Md Sakil, natives of Barbil, were arrested and court forwarded on the charges of theft of high grade manganese.
The market value of materials seized from the accused is around Rs 15 lakh. Besides, two tippers having registration no OR-09H-6296 and OR- O9J- 7731 and one truck no OR-09G- 6728 were seized.
The accused were trying to dispatch the materials in heavy vehicles to outside State after raising them illegally from the nearby mines of Rugudi lease area under Joda sector.
After formation of a combined task force consisting of Mines, Forest and Revenue officials to check the illegal mining, it was hoped that mining theft can be checked but it seems the administration has failed to rein in the scamsters. An unholy nexus between mines owners and mafias is alleged to be reason of frequent violation of the MMDR Act.
When contacted, DDM Susanta Kumar Nayak said that no crusher is allowed to be set up near the mining area which is said to be the main cause of mining theft. He further added that officials had been asked to be more vigilant.
Meanwhile, it is demanded that the Government officials be transferred on regular basis to check the mining theft in Keonjhar.