Nagpur Rural Police Intensify Crackdown on Sand Mafia Nagpur: Following a recent attempt on the life of a revenue official by members of the sand mafia, local crime branch (LCB) and rural police stations in Nagpur have escalated their operations against illegal sand mining activities, particularly during nighttime hours. The intensified police action has sparked demands for more proactive measures from revenue department officials at the taluka level under the district administration. The crackdown gained momentum after villagers in Parseoni taluka confronted the sand mafia over excessive excavation along the Kanhan riverbed. Last week, residents intercepted two tractors belonging to the sand mafia and filed a complaint at the Kanhan police station. Villagers allege that unchecked illegal sand mining is causing severe ecological damage, with extraction levels far exceeding legal limits, especially during the night when oversight is minimal. A villager, speaking on condition of anonymity, questioned why geofencing breach alerts—designed to flag multiple trips from sand ghats—do not trigger stronger enforcement actions. Another villager criticized the lack of consistent enforcement from the revenue department, stating, “Enforcement has remained sparse.” Rural police under Superintendent of Police (SP) Harssh A Poddar and Additional SP Anil Mhaske have taken decisive steps, invoking the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against key sand mafia operator Kallu Khan. Authorities are also moving to seize his properties, including assets in Ranchi.#maharashtra_control_of_organized_crime_act #nagpur_rural_police #kallu_khan #parseoni_taluka #kanhan_riverbed
Sand Mafia Leader Kallu Khan Faces MCOCA Charges in Nagpur The sand mafia, led by kingpin Kallu Khan and his nine-member gang, has been charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a landmark legal action against the syndicate. Khan, known for his violent tactics and history of attempted murders, had previously issued death threats to anyone opposing his operations. His gang, which controlled sand smuggling activities through brute force, operated a WhatsApp group to monitor police movements in real time, enabling them to evade raids and continue illegal activities. The Nagpur (Rural) police have now initiated proceedings under MCOCA, marking the first such case against a sand mafia network in the region. The investigation began after Bhiwapur police intercepted two vehicles on April 24, including a 12-wheeler tipper loaded with illegally mined sand and a scout vehicle used for reconnaissance. The sand-laden tipper driver, Kaiser Ali Riyazuddin Ali, 47, and the scout vehicle driver, Mohammad Eenajul alias Kallu Khan, 40, were arrested. Subsequent inquiries led to the detention of Suraj Gabhne, 27, from Gudegaon in Bhandara district, and Dinesh Kakade from Dongargaon in Nagpur district. Five other suspects, all from Nagpur and surrounding areas, are currently being tracked by the police. The case has been approved under MCOCA by Sandip Patil, the IG of Nagpur Range, following a formal application by the Nagpur Rural police. The charges against the accused include illegal sand mining, smuggling, and the use of technology to evade law enforcement. The police have also identified several other administrators of the WhatsApp group as potential targets for further investigations.#nagpur #maharashtra_control_of_organised_crime_act #kallu_khan #sand_mafia #mcoca
