Sand Smugglers Boldly Steal Seized Tractor in Nilagiri: A Shocking Incident

Daring Theft by Sand Smugglers

In a shocking display of audacity, sand smugglers in Nilagiri brazenly reclaimed a tractor loaded with sand that had been confiscated by law enforcement on Thursday. This incident unfolded as the smugglers, armed with sharp weapons, confronted mining officials and police.

Reports indicate that illegal sand extraction from the Sone River in the Nilagiri tehsil of Balasore district is escalating, with smugglers frequently evading capture due to prior warnings about impending raids. The confrontation took place when a special team, led by Balasore's junior mining officer Samit Kumar Mani and Nilagiri's junior mining officer Bhitendra Kumar Das, acted on a tip-off regarding illegal sand mining in Tindesh village.

Accompanied by police, the officials managed to seize a tractor filled with sand and began transporting it to the Ayodhya police outpost. However, before they could secure the vehicle, approximately 25 smugglers, including the tractor's owner Rajkumar Pradhan from Tindesh village, encircled the officials near Pratappur Square.

The group, riding over 15 motorcycles, threatened the mining officials, brandishing weapons at a constable present, and forcibly reclaimed the seized tractor. In the aftermath, the junior mining officer from Nilagiri lodged a complaint at the local police station against the smugglers.