Patna: Patna police have arrested six men in a major raid against illegal sand mining along the Son River, recovering weapons including an automatic rifle, a country-made pistol and 49 live cartridges.
The operation was carried out on Monday in the Ahmedabad locality of Bihta, west of Patna, after police received secret information about armed groups extorting money and threatening locals. Officers said the accused were openly displaying weapons to intimidate boatmen and villagers while operating the illegal sand trade.
Patna West SP Bhanu Pratap Singh, who led the raid, said immediate action was taken after intelligence suggested the group was heavily armed. All six accused, residents of Bhojpur district, were arrested on the spot. Police also seized five mobile phones believed to contain details of the gang’s network.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya Sharma said this was part of an ongoing clampdown, noting that a previous raid on August 24 in the same area led to the seizure of AK-47 rifles and the arrest of four men. Authorities believe the mafia had turned the Son River into a stronghold for illegal operations.
Police have vowed to continue the campaign, investigating the supply chain and financial sources of the network. Officers said further action was expected in the coming days and warned that “the black game of sand will not work anymore”.
Local residents have expressed relief at the arrests, saying the armed presence of the mafia had created an atmosphere of fear in Bihta and surrounding villages.
