TIRUPPUR: A tahsildar and other revenue officials who tried to prevent illegal sand mining from a private land at Kundadam in Tiruppur district on Saturday were allegedly issued a life threat by the landowner and her family members. Police were called in to rescued the officers.
According to sources, the district administration received a complaint that gravel was being mined from a 60-acre patta land in Kathanganni near Kundadam and sold at night. The district administration ordered Dharapuram tahsildar N Govindaswamy to conduct an inspection.
He, along with some revenue officials, inspected the spot around 11 pm on Friday. The inspection revealed that a huge amount of soil had been excavated. On Saturday evening, the officials again went to the place for another inspection. But the landowner and her family threatened Govindaswamy. He informed police who rescued them.
Speaking to TNIE, Govindaswamy said, “They had been digging and selling gravel on for a long time. As a precaution, 15 days ago, they applied for permission to set up a farm pond. But the permission has not been granted yet. However, no one digs over 5 feet to make a farm pond. But they have dug up a 30-foot-deep and 200 feet wide pit. This is absolutely illegal.”
“When I tried to explain the violation, they threatened me and used inappropriate words. They did not allow confiscation of the machinery. The land owner’s relatives surrounded us. We escaped because the police escorted us to safety.” he added.
Kundadam police have registered a case against four persons based on the complaint filed by the tahsildar. Inspector N Velmurugan said, “A case has been registered against the landowner Santhamani’s husband KM Raju, her two sons and the machine owner.”
Collector T Christuraj did not respond to TNIE’s calls. Dharapuram RDO Senthil Arasan said, “We will survey how much soil has been taken. Fines will be imposed accordingly.”