MP: BJP leader among 2 held for illegal sand mining

The arrests were made barely three days after a young Indian Police Service officer Narendra Kumar Singh was killed allegedly by the mining mafia in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.

Panna Superintendent of Police Anil Maheshwari said a person, Kubar Singh, was arrested in connection with a case of firing on a police team, which had gone to Ajaygarh to probe illegal mining in the area by sand mafia.

"The police, after taking control of the area, also removed the temporary bridge over River Ken erected by the mafia for transporting sand to neighbouring Uttar Pradesh," he said.

The sand mafia, engaged in illegal excavation, had on Saturday opened fire at the team headed by Ajaygarh sub-divisional magistrate Nathuram Goud and sub-divisional police officer Jagannath Singh Markam in Chandipatha, about 70-80 km from Panna.

The police also arrested BJP's Morena district vice president Hamir Singh for allegedly assaulting a mining officer and forcibly taking away two tractor-trolleys engaged in quarrying of stones.

The BJP leader had allegedly assaulted mining inspector Rajkumar Barethe on January 31 when he along with district mining officer Rakesh Kaneria seized two tractor-trolleys engaged in illegal mining.

When the two officials were carrying the seized vehicles, they were intercepted by the BJP leader who later severely thrashed Barethe and forcibly took away the seized trolleys, police sources said.

A meeting of senior police officials was also held in Morena on Sunday to review the situation.