Since 2020, 206 illegal sand mining FIRs filed

According to police records, 104 cases were registered in 2020, 92 in 2021 and 10 cases from January 1 to January 29 this year. A total of 55 cases have been sent to the court so far, while one case was declared as ‘untraced’.

According to the officials of the district police, of the 92 cases registered in 2021, 76 are under investigation while 56 cases of the cases from 2020 are still under investigation. All the ten cases registered this year are still under investigation.

A senior police officer requesting anonymity told The Indian Express that zero conviction in the cases is a concern.

“The entire year of 2020 was marred by the pandemic but just look at the number of illegal mining cases; 2021 the situation was no better. Even this year, ten cases were registered. It speaks volumes of the illegal sand mining in the district,” the officer added.

Mohali’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Viveksheel Soni was not available for his comments.

Mohali district has become notorious for illegal sand mining. The areas in Mullanpur Garibdas and Majri block are among the most notorious areas for illegal sand mining. Derabassi, too, is among the areas where illegal sand mining takes place regularly.