Tractor carrying illegal sand seized in Warora; driver and owner booked

Warora police acted on Sunday night against a tractor carrying sand illegally and seized goods worth Rs 7.05 lakh. A case has been registered at Warora police station against both the tractor driver and the owner of the sand.

According to police, Police Havaldar Sandeep Vitthal Mule and constable Vishal Rajurkar, who were out on night patrol, received a tip-off from a secret informant on the night of November 1, 2026. The informant said some people were illegally excavating sand on the Tulana road side, loading it onto a tractor-trolley and taking it towards Warora town.

Acting on the information, police set up a temporary roadblock in the presence of panch witnesses on Wani bypass road, near the Kataria Mangal Karyalaya. Shortly afterwards, a tractor was seen coming from the Tulana road towards the town, near Deshpande Ground. Police signalled it to stop and the driver halted the vehicle. On questioning, he gave his name as Sunil Eknath Wabhitkar.

Police said Wabhitkar is 36 years old and a resident of Tulana village in Warora tehsil. The owner of the sand has been named as Swapnil Date, a resident of Karanji village in Warora tehsil.

The tractor was inspected on the spot in front of the panch witnesses. It was a silver Eicher 485 tractor, valued at Rs 5 lakh, with a red trolley without a number plate, valued at Rs 2 lakh. The trolley was loaded with about one brass of sand. The seized goods total Rs 7.05 lakh.

Asked for a permit to transport sand, the driver had none. Police said he also stated that he had brought the load at the instance of the owner, Swapnil Date.

Police drew up a spot report and seized everything. Wabhitkar and Date are accused of conspiring together to steal sand illegally. The case has been registered on this charge under Sections 303(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 48 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966.

Police Havaldar Amol Maroti Navghare is investigating the case further.