Patna: Despite a monsoon-season ban on sand mining, Bihar’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has launched a sweeping crackdown on the illegal storage and excavation of sand in Patna district, seizing nearly 86,000 cubic feet of material during coordinated raids across 40 locations in Maner and Bihta.
The sand, estimated to be the equivalent of 400 truckloads, was discovered during extensive operations led by the EOU in collaboration with the District Mining Office, local police, and the Bihar Special Auxiliary Police (B-SAP). The enforcement effort included the SDPOs of Danapur and Phulwarisharif and officers from nearby police stations.
The operation also targeted suspected mafia kingpin Randhir Rai, with raids carried out at his alleged hideouts. In Bihta’s Pandey Chak village, authorities unearthed large-scale illegal sand stockpiles spread across a two to three kilometre area. The mining department has initiated legal proceedings, with first information reports (FIRs) being registered at local police stations.
Sources said that sand mafias, operating in defiance of the National Green Tribunal’s seasonal ban effective from June 15, had been mining sand from river ghats at Chaurasi, Suarmarwan, and Bindol, before moving it to hidden storage sites in surrounding villages. The raids triggered panic in the riverine Diara region, with villagers alarmed by the sudden influx of dozens of police vehicles.
In his statement to Maner police station, Patna district mine inspector Govind Kumar confirmed the recovery of 43,350 cubic feet of yellow sand from 25 locations in Chaurasi village, and 42,320 cubic feet from 15 sites in Suarmarwan. The total estimated market value of the seized sand is around Rs 96.23 lakh.
Officials said the confiscated material will be added to the mining department’s official stockpile.
The EOU has formed a dedicated anti-sand mining cell under the leadership of a Superintendent of Police, which had recently undertaken similar raids in Bhojpur district. Authorities have vowed to intensify action against violators as the monsoon ban remains in effect for four months.
