Campaign against illegal mining: 164 people arrested in Rajasthan

More than 160 people have been arrested and 339 FIRs lodged under an ongoing campaign against illegal mining in Rajasthan, officials said on Wednesday.

A fine of more than Rs 4.36 crore has been collected during the campaign, Additional Chief Secretary, Mines, Subodh Agarwal, who is monitoring the drive, said.

The highest number of cases of illegal mining (66) have surfaced in Bhilwara.

Till August 8, 339 FIRs have been registered in 952 cases while 164 people have been taken into police custody, the officials said.

A total of 917 vehicles have been seized with the mines department confiscating 43 machines while police seized three machines.

The joint campaign of the department of mines, police and forest department was launched on July 21 on the directions of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

District Collectors and SPs are monitoring the campaign against illegal mining, transportation and storage at the district level.

The campaign in Rajasthan was launched in the wake of an incident in Nuh district of neighbouring Haryana, where a deputy SP was crushed to death by the mining mafia on July 19.