HT Correspondent
DALGAON, March 1: A heated confrontation broke out between alleged sand mafia operators and local residents in Dalgaon on Saturday over continued illegal sand mining in the Tangni river, prompting police intervention to restore order.
According to local sources, illegal sand extraction has been going on for nearly a decade in the Tangni river, which flows through the No 1/2 Baruajhar area under Dalgaon Police Station. The operators have allegedly been managing local police and forest department officials, enabling them to run JCB machines, dumpers and tractors round the clock. Residents alleged that the unchecked activity has deepened the riverbed, altered its course and posed a serious threat to lives and property on both banks.
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Locals claimed that heavy vehicles engaged in sand transportation have extensively damaged roads, while rising dust levels have become a health hazard for pedestrians and schoolchildren. Despite repeated protests, the mining operations have allegedly continued with accusations that some local leaders of All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) were “managed” to suppress opposition.
The situation turned volatile at Office Bazar when shopkeepers sprinkled water on the road to control dust, as per their routine practice. When sand-laden trucks attempted to leave immediately afterward, an argument broke out between shopkeepers, residents and the operators. The confrontation reportedly escalated when some individuals allegedly tried to manhandle the shopkeepers.
On being informed, Daipam police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. During the standoff, one individual who allegedly claimed that the police were “managed” by them was briefly detained and later released. No vehicles or machinery involved in the alleged illegal mining were seized.
Following the public outcry, police temporarily sealed the mining ghat by placing bamboo barricades at the access point. However, residents expressed concern over how long the closure would remain in effect.
The incident has once again drawn attention to allegations of a nexus between illegal sand miners and authorities, even as concerns over environmental degradation and public safety continue to grow in the region.
