Villagers guard Baitarani riverbank all night to stop illegal sand mining

Despite the vigil, several trucks reportedly arrived at the site late at night to smuggle sand, leading to a face-off

- POST NEWS NETWORK

Tension is mounting in the Karagola sand ghat area of the Baitarani river under Ambo panchayat and this block in Keonjhar district’s Hatadihi block, as illegal sand mining by local mafias continues unabated.

On Friday night, local residents, along with BJP leader Yajnya Prasad Sahu and others, staged a “sand satyagraha,” keeping vigil at the riverbank throughout the night to protest the illegal transportation of sand. Armed with sticks and bamboo poles, villagers guarded the ghat to protect themselves from the mafias.

Despite the protest, several trucks reportedly arrived at the site late at night to smuggle sand, leading to a face-off between the villagers and the sand smugglers. Before the situation could escalate into a violent clash, police reached the spot, forcing the sand smugglers to flee with their vehicles.