Thane: In a major crackdown on environmental crimes, a joint flying squad comprising officials from the Revenue Department, Forest Department, and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) intercepted an illegal sand mining operation in the Naglabandar area of Thane Creek.
An official case has been registered at the Kalwa Police Station against two individuals, identified as Sukuruddin Shaikh and Pappya Koli, following the multi-agency raid.
The Raid and Seizure
The operation unfolded on Friday afternoon when the flying squad patrolling the Thane Creek spotted a commercial barge loaded with illegally dredged sand in the waters near Naglabandar.
Upon detaining and questioning the onboard worker, Sukuruddin Shaikh , authorities learned that the vessel belonged to Pappya Koli, a resident of the Kalher locality in Bhiwandi. The team subsequently took Shaikh into custody and towed the barge to the nearby Ganesh Visarjan Ghat. To permanently disable the illegal operation, the team used gas cutters to destroy the high-powered suction pumps used for dredging.
The total value of the seized property is estimated at ₹40,65,520. The inventory of the seized material includes:
Seized Item Estimated Value (INR)
Commercial Barge ₹30,000,000
Heavy-duty Suction Pump ₹1,000,000
13 Brass of Dredged Sand ₹65,520
Total Value ₹4,065,520
Legal Action Initiated
Following a formal complaint lodged at the Kalwa Police Station on Saturday, a comprehensive First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the accused. They have been booked under several stringent legal provisions protecting public property and natural resources:
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: Sections 15 and 9
Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984: Sections 3 and 7
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: Sections 21, 3, and 4
Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966: Section 48 (7) and 48 (8)
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: Sections 3(5) and 303(2)
Local law enforcement and maritime authorities have stated that patrolling across the Thane Creek ecosystem will be further intensified to curb the menace of illegal sand dredging, which severely threatens the region's marine ecology and destabilizes riverbanks.
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