DHENKANAL: Motanga police have arrested six persons in connection with the death of two workers at an illegal stone quarry and crusher in Dhenkanal’s Gopalpur on January 3.
The accused, Susanta Kumar Sahoo (52) of Dhenkanal town, Lalin Kumar Garnaik (34) of Angul’s Nalco township, Bindu Sagar Mohanty (36) of Dhenkanal Sadar, Satyapira Ranasingh (43) of Puri, Kumbhu Bhakta (30) of Mayurbhanj and Chabiraj Mahakud of Motanga, were employees of the quarry and close associates of the quarry’s owner, Manas Rout, who is absconding.
Hindol SDPO Satya Nanda said the accused have been booked for violations of mining and explosive laws, illegal transportation, theft and other offences related to the operation of the quarry and crusher. He added that efforts are underway to nab Rout, who is still at large.
Two workers were killed on January 3, when a large stone collapsed on them during preparations for blasting at the stone quarry near Gopalpur. The quarry reportedly did not have valid operational or blasting permissions, which had expired last year.
Despite this, it was allegedly being run under the nose of revenue and mining officials. Following the mishap, the quarry has been sealed.
Meanwhile, on the orders of collector Ashish Iswar Patil and SP Abhinav Sonkar, a large-scale crackdown has been launched across the district, particularly in Hindol, Gondia, Odapada, Parjang and Kamakhyanagar areas. Several machines have been seized and a number of quarries and crushers sealed.
The collector said enforcement and scanning against illegal quarries and crushers had been carried out in the past as well, but the crackdown would be intensified in the coming days.