Six held &Two porcelain, five truck compound by Una police
On the intervening night of 15th and 16th January 2023, a district wide operation was carried out by Una Police in main areas prone to illegal mining. Police teams conducted this operation all through the night. During raid, one porcelain excavator, one JCB and 4 tipper trucks and 09 tractors engaged in illegal mining and transportation were apprehended by the police from the river bed. Six persons have also been arrested and following two FIRs under Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, IPC and Environment Act have been registered against them. During this operation, the officials of Mining, Revenue and IPH departments have also been associated and services of surveyor were taken by the Police to assess the damage caused by illegal miners to river bed and public property at these areas.
For this operation, seven additional Police platoons (150 police personnel) were provided. These police personnel and the officers of Una District conducted raids at the Bathu – Bathri- Santoshgarh, Khanpur – Nangal Khurd – Fatehpur, & Jankaur. These river basin ate considered hot spots on Punjab-Himachal border. Needless to say that the people engaged in illegal mining activity take advantage of jurisdictional boundary between Punjab and Himachal and carry out their operation during late night hours in inaccessible areas using their network of informers, who keep an eye on any movement done by the Police. Police teams conducted raids by keeping this entire operation secret and cordoned and plugged the entry or exit points of these hotspots as a result the above accused were caught red handed.