Lokayukta cops bust massive illegal sand mining network

Shivamogga: In an unprecedented and meticulously planned operation on Saturday, the Karnataka Lokayukta police raided an illegal sand-mining network operating along the riverbeds of Shivamogga district.

Executed in secrecy by Lokayukta cops over two months using satellite tracking, the operation bypassed local police and district administration to prevent leaks and break deep-rooted institutional collusion.

Under the direct supervision of Lokayukta superintendent of police MS Kaulapure and seputy SP BP Chandrashekhar, 15 specialised teams drawn from five neighbouring districts — Davangere, Haveri, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga and Belagavi — struck 25 strategic locations simultaneously across Shivamogga, Bhadravathi, Thirthahalli, Sagar and Hosanagara taluks.

The coordinated morning raids yielded a massive haul along the Tungabhadra and Sharavathi rivers, resulting in the seizure of 17,000 metric tonnes of illegally hoarded sand. Officials also confiscated 52 vehicles and specialised machinery valued at crores of rupees, including 15 heavy earth machines and 15 trucks, Lokayukta SP said.

Following the field raids, Lokayukta teams searched the Shivamogga office of the department of mines and geology. The audit exposed that a Rs 1.08 crore penalty levied against illegal operators was not collected.

The investigation further unmasked a shocking level of complicity among local watchdogs and regulatory bodies. Sources revealed that many were actively acting as middlemen, brokering deals and mediating the illicit release of seized vehicles.

Chirag, a representative of the Rainland Trust, alleged that youths with backing from local politicians in Hosanagara taluk had grown so brazen that they routinely mocked law enforcement agencies.

Forest department staff and cops were also allegedly involved in the illegal mining, the SP said.

Lokayukta officials noted that the illegal operations reached a frantic pace over the past week. With the monsoon season approaching — a period when river mining is strictly prohibited by law — desperate operators were scrambling to maximise their illegal hauls before the water levels rose.

Following the operation, the Lokayukta cops issued directives for a joint crackdown, asking Revenue, Police, RTO, Forest, PWD, Land Records and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board officials to initiate legal proceedings.

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