Patna: A violent encounter erupted between police and members of a sand mafia in the Amanabad Son river area, under the jurisdiction of Bihta police station in Patna, on Sunday morning. The exchange of gunfire, which reportedly involved around 50–60 rounds from both sides, lasted approximately 30 minutes, with the gang allegedly firing from an AK-47.
Police said they had been monitoring the group, linked to the gang of Sanjay Rai, following reports of extortion related to illegal sand mining. Officers established a camp in the area on Saturday night in preparation for the operation.
The action began around 4 am on Sunday, with gang members opening fire on police. The search operation continued until 9 am, culminating in the surrender of several suspects. Weapons, including an AK-47, a 3.15 bore rifle, 160 cartridges, and two mobile phones, were recovered, although one AK-47 remains unaccounted for, reportedly still in the area.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya Sharma said the gang’s primary aim was to spread terror, engage in illegal sand mining, and extort money. “Some members of this gang are still absconding. Continuous raids are underway to apprehend them,” he added. Investigators are also tracing the origin of the recovered weapons.
The arrested suspects include Sanjay Kumar (25), Sonu Kumar Singh (38), Ajit Kumar (20), Yash Kumar (19), and a resident named Sanjay from Doriganj, Chapra. Other arrested individuals hail from Paliganj, Chakia Doriganj, and Ara Shivganj in Bhojpur.
Officials noted that longstanding rivalries between sand-mining gangs in the region – including the Siphai Fauji, Pandav, and Manik gangs – have persisted for over two decades, contributing to frequent clashes.
