Gujarat police seize over 1 tonne of explosives and 140 detonators from illegal mining site in Morbi

During a raid at an illegal mining site in the Wankaner taluka of Morbi district, the Gujarat police have detained four persons and confiscated almost a tonne of explosives and 140 detonators, valued at a total of Rs 1.03 lakh.

“In Survey No. 163/1/24, the accused dug about 57 holes in government wasteland, each down to a depth of 45 feet. Fourteen of those holes had detonators and gelatin sticks planted in them, according to a press release from the district police’s Special Operations Group.

Following a tip, the police conducted a raid in Tarakiya village at 10.30 p.m. on June 9. They confiscated 418 gelatin sticks, totaling 1,161 kg (1.16 tonnes), 140 detonators, and five cell phones.

“The defendants dug holes and set explosives in a few of them to mine and blast sandstone from the government waste area. The Indian Express was informed on Tuesday by a police officer that “they had neither a licence to keep the explosives nor a lease for the land.”

The policeman stated, “The accused who were arrested were blasting government land to mine sandstone.” “They planned to crush the limestone that was mined and market it as building blocks and sand for construction.”

They were identified by the police as Munna Bambhva, 36; Pradip Dhadhal, 25; and Ravubhai, 23 (also known as Nagraj Sonara). While Dhadhal and Sonara are from Mesariya village in Wankaner and Janivadla village in the nearby Surendranagar district, respectively, Munna and Ranubhai live in Tarakiya village.

The four have been charged under the Explosives Substances Act, Indian Penal Code, and sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosives) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) for having significant quantities of explosives without a licence.

An evening Wankaner court placed them under four days police custody.

The raid was carried out by a group that included members of the Special Operations Group and was directed by Samir Sarda, the Wankaner division’s deputy superintendent of police.

Two other accused in the crime, Lomku Khachar and Devayat Dangar, who live in the Mesariya and Beti villages, respectively, are wanted by the police.

Group Media Publication
Construction, Infrastructure and Mining   
General News Platforms – IHTLive.com
Entertainment News Platforms – https://anyflix.in/
Legal and Laws News Platforms – https://legalmatters.in/
Podcast Platforms – https://anyfm.in/