Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala

Karkala, Sep 13: In a massive crackdown on unauthorized quarrying and transportation, the police have registered three separate cases across the Karkala and Padubidri jurisdictions, confiscating several heavy vehicles, excavators, and illegally mined stones.

In the first incident on September 10, Karkala rural police sub-inspector Prasanna M S followed a suspicious tipper truck along the Kuntadi mud road, which led him straight to an illegal quarry. Authorities found two tippers being loaded with stones and an excavator operating at the site. Investigations revealed that explosives were being used without permits to extract and crush the stones. The police booked Harish Shetty, Santosh Shetty, and others, seizing three tippers and one Hitachi excavator in connection with the case.

Following a tip-off from the Karkala assistant superintendent of police, a second raid was conducted on a stone crusher unit in Kalya village on the evening of September 11. Officials discovered three excavators, four tippers (including a dumper lorry), the crusher unit itself, and around 20 loads of boulders and crushed stones. Officials from the department of mines and geology confirmed that the unit's operating license had expired several years ago. A case has been registered against Mohammed Shafi and Ranjith for running the unauthorized operation and selling the materials.

In a third operation on the night of September 11, Padubidri police sub-inspector Shaktivelu E led a raid on a crusher located along the state highway between Kanjarkatte in Santur village and Belman. The accused were allegedly stealing boulders from government land to crush and sell them illegally. The police booked Prabhakar Shetty and others, seizing approximately 40 units of crushed stones, two lorries, and a JCB machine. A case has been filed at the Padubidri police station.