Patna, Apr 19 (IANS): With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticising the Bihar government over an attack by the sand mafia on a Mines Department team, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Tuesday hit back at the saffron party saying its leaders are involved in sand mining.

Sand mafia members on Monday attacked a Mines Department team and brutally thrashed a woman mining inspector on the banks of the Sone river in Patna district. The incident happened in Parev village.

"Jivan Kumar (previously a JD-U member) is involved in sand mining in that area. A raid of Income Tax took place on his premises just before the MLC election. He was also booked under the IPC section. Besides, a number of FIRs were also registered against him. Still, the BJP gave a ticket to him under teacher's quota and he won the election," JD-U leader and party spokesperson Abhishek Jha said.

"BJP is a 'self-fed' washing machine wherein each and every leader is clean. BJP leaders are involved in sand mining," he added.

Condemning the attack on the woman official, another JD-U leader Sunil Kumar said: "The attack on a woman officer is an extremely serious matter. At least 45 people were arrested. The Nitish Kumar government will not let anyone go scot free. We will break the back-bone of the sand mafias."

Manjeet Singh, another JD-U leader and party spokesperson said: "We have registered 4,435 FIRs in connection with sand mining in the state and also arrested 2,439 accused. Police have also seized 20,340 vehicles involved in sand mining and transportation as well."