Patna, Aug 7 (IANS): Four police personnel, including a woman sub-inspector, were arrested in Bihar's Saran on Monday for allegedly taking illegal levy from the sand mafia, police said.

The accused police personnel were identified as Sub-Inspector Pratima Kumari, constables Gharbharan Ram, Khemchand Kumar, and Harendra Rai.

Booked under IPC's Sections 384, 385 (extortion) and 34 (common intent) in Mufassil police station, they were produced before a duty magistrate which sent them to judicial custody.

The accused police personnel were arrested on the direction of district SP Dr Gaurav Mangla. He has taken the action on the basis of a video that appeared before him where police personnel were seen taking illegal levy from truck drivers. "During the investigation, it appeared that the video was genuine. The accused police personnel have taken the illegal levy from the truck drivers who were carrying sand in the region," an official spokesperson of Saran police said.

The district SP appealed to common people to shoot videos and photographs and send to his official number 9431822989. He also assured people that their identities will remain secret.

Sand mining is common across Bihar, especially in Bhojpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Saran, and Vaishali districts. Saran is a place where a large number of trucks, laden with sand from Sone river, come from Bhojpur district. Besides, a large number of sand mafia are also active in the Diyara (banks of Sone river) of Ganga river in Saran as well. The sand of Sone and Ganga river have high demand in building construction across Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.