BALASORE: Officials of the Mining department on Sunday seized as many as 11 Hyva trucks and four tractors from Jaleswar area that had reportedly been engaged for illegal transportation of sand, morrum and red gravel within and outside the district. However, the drivers and helpers managed to flee.
The early morning raid was carried out by mining officer Rohit Kumar Samal along with junior mining officers Tapas Kumar Behera, Satya Chinmaya Jena, Sambit Kumar Mani, Jagannath Das and Abhishek Behera.
Initial investigation revealed the illegal mining was being carried out for construction of railway routes, without security transit passes needed for the purpose.
All the seized vehicles belong to one ARSS Company. Around eight dumper trucks were allegedly being used to transport laterite from Mayurbhanj.
District mining officer Jagan Behera said two special teams have been formed to check the illegal mining activities in the area. The seized vehicles were later handed over to the police after investigation.