Illegal sand mining leads to violent clash in Odisha’s Jaleswar, 2 critical

Two individuals were critically injured on Saturday night during a violent confrontation between local residents and sand mafia operatives near the Subarnarekha River in Balasore district’s Jaleswar. The injured have been admitted to Jaleswar Hospital, where they are receiving intensive care.

According to sources, the clash occurred late at night when villagers attempted to stop the illegal extraction of sand from the river. The sand mafia, reportedly operating under the cover of darkness, was carrying out unauthorized mining at multiple locations along the Subarnarekha river.

Despite repeated raids and monitoring by the local police and the Mines Department, these illegal activities continue, highlighting the persistent challenge faced by authorities in curbing riverbed exploitation.

Eyewitnesses said a group of local youths confronted the sand miners as they were extracting sand illegally. The confrontation escalated quickly, and the sand mafia allegedly attacked the villagers, resulting in serious injuries.

Police personnel arrived at the scene soon after the incident, but the perpetrators managed to escape before they could be apprehended.

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Authorities have assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway to identify and bring the responsible individuals to justice. In addition, enhanced patrolling and surveillance of riverbanks have been ordered to prevent further incidents.