Two tractor drivers booked in Rajura for illegal sand transport; goods worth over Rs 6 lakh seized

Police have taken action against two tractor drivers transporting sand without a permit within the limits of Rajura police station in Chandrapur district. Separate cases have been registered in the two instances. The action was taken on the morning of October 25 on the Sasti-Kolgaon road, where police caught both tractors.

According to police, a tip-off was received from the assistant police officer of the Rajura sub-division. Acting on it, Rajura police laid a trap at the bend where the road from Sasti to Kolgaon meets the farm track leading to the Wardha river ghat. Both tractors were carrying sand without a licence. Police seized goods worth about Rs 6.10 lakh, including the vehicles and the sand.

In the first action, police found sand being illegally carried in a Mahindra 575 DI tractor, registration MH-34/CJ-61, and its trolley. Questioned in the presence of panch witnesses, the driver, Sumit Vinod Tekam (resident of Dhopatala, Rajura taluka), said he was driving the tractor at the instruction of its owner, Dilip Nanaji Narad (resident of Sasti). He also said there was no permit for transporting the sand.

Police seized the tractor, valued at Rs 3 lakh, and one brass of sand worth Rs 5,000, together worth Rs 3.05 lakh. A case has been registered at Rajura police station against the driver, Sumit Tekam, and the owner, Dilip Narad.

In the second action, in the same area on the Sasti-Kolgaon road, sand was found being illegally transported in a Mahindra 415 DI tractor, registration MH-34/BR-9245, and its trolley. When it was checked in the presence of panch witnesses, it emerged that the tractor's driver and owner, Diwakar Shankar Koyadwar (resident of Sasti), was himself transporting the sand without a permit.

In this case too, police seized the vehicle, valued at Rs 3 lakh, and one brass of sand worth Rs 5,000, together worth Rs 3.05 lakh. A case has been registered against the driver-owner, Diwakar Koyadwar, under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. In the first case too, offences have been registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Thus, on the same morning and in the same area, action was taken against two separate tractors, and goods worth Rs 3.05 lakh were seized in each case.