Rampant illegal quarrying continues in riverbeds of Doon
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 28 Feb: In a surprise development, the three absconding persons accused in the case of a tractor running over a police constable in Thana Cantt area two days ago managed to get Anticipatory Bail from the court, today. It is also an indication that the Police were caught sleeping in this regard as the accused managed to secure anticipatory bail in such a serious offence in which a police constable was run over by a tractor by the mining mafia. The Police have so far managed to arrest only one accused, while three others are absconding. Before the police could arrest these absconders, they managed to get anticipatory bail from the Dehradun District Sessions Court. The court granted anticipatory bail after hearing the arguments of the defence advocate. The accused, Waseem alias Gadad, Arsalan and Sohail’s son Shamshad have been granted interim bail. Cases have been registered against the three accused under sections 307, 333, 34 and 353. However, the main accused, Shamim, who was driving the tractor, was arrested yesterday and is currently in jail. The next date of hearing has been fixed on 9 March in this case.
According to information, defence counsel KKP Singh argued in the court that the police in its FIR have imposed section 307 for the murderous attack on the constable with a tractor, while Shamim, who was driving the tractor in this case, had already been arrested and was in jail. How could 307 be imposed on the remaining three accused, he questioned and argued that it was not possible for all the three to be driving the tractor at the same time.
As per the allegation levelled by the Police, Shamim and his three brothers, Wasim alias Gadad, Arslan and Sohail were leaving after loading the illegal mining material from the Noon River in Police Station Cantt area last Sunday. At that time, Manoj, a police constable posted in the Cantt Police Station, tried to stop them. But, instead of stopping the vehicle, the accused ran the tractor over Manoj. Manoj was seriously injured in this incident. Presently, he is admitted and undergoing treatment in the hospital. After this incident, a case was registered against the four named accused under section 307, 333, 34 and 353 IPC for murderous assault.
It may be recalled that allegations have been made that the illegal mining in Noon River had been going right under the eyes of Cantt Police and had alleged support of many political figures. In fact, Garhwal Post had some time ago published a report that rampant illegal quarrying was continuing in Noon River in Jaintanwala village despite the fact that locals had registered a complaint with the District Magistrate in this respect. According to the locals, a large number of tractors and JCBs reach the area late in the night, carry on illegal quarrying and leave the place by early morning every day. Despite several complaints filed before the DM, the activity has continued.
Questions were raised after Sunday’s incident regarding patronage to the illegal mining by the politicians as well as the local Police and the administration. Such allegations led to the suspension of Inspector Vinay Kumar Saini, SHO of Dehradun Cantt Police Station, yesterday following intervention by the CM.
However, it is an open secret that all over the state and all over Dehradun whether it is Pachhwa Doon in Herbertpur, Vikasnagar and Sahaspur or in the East including Raipur area, rampant illegal quarrying continues unabated. In fact, some months before, when approach roads to Badasi bridge and Song River bridges along the Raipur-Thano Bridge had caved in, allegations had been levelled that rampant illegal mining of stones in these rivers had led to the weakening of the approach road leading to collapse of the approach road to the bridges.
