Three mining officers hurt in attack by illegal sand miners in Bihar, 44 arrested
Despite ban on sand mining and recurrent raids, police and mining department have failed to check mining of sand from Sone river.

Three mining department personnel including a woman officer were injured in a stone pelting incident on Monday when a team had gone for inspection and searches as part of its drive to check illegal mining in Bihta block of Patna district.
Police later arrested 44 persons and seized 50 vehicles. The injured included Patna district mining officer Kumar Gaurav and mining inspectors Syed Farhin and Amya Kumari.
The incident took place on Monday afternoon when over a team of 20 mining department officers and employees were conducting search operation.
“While the mining department officers were inspecting and seizing vehicles, a group of suspected illegal sand miners started throwing stones at them,” said police.
The three officers sustained injuries in the process and are stated to be out of danger.
Video grabs of the incident showed some people provoking others to attack the mining officers. They were also heard using abusive language against the raiding team.
Patna (West) SP Rsjesh Kumar told reporters: “We have arrested 44 people. We are looking for more suspects by studying video footage. We have increased police deployment along Patna-Bihta road”.
Sand mining is often reported from Bihta and adjoining Ara. Despite ban on sand mining and recurrent raids, police and mining department have failed to check mining of sand from Sone river.