Sand smugglers in Telangana's Jagtial district allegedly attacked four policemen, including a probationary Sub Inspector (SI) on Monday night.According to the reports, based on a tip-off about tractors and an excavator being brought for sand smuggling, a team consisting of probationary Sub Inspector (SI) Venkatesh and constables Srinivas, Raj Kumar and Suresh visited the spot.
The police said that they stopped sand smugglers who were trying to smuggle sand from Vempalli vaagu along the Godavari river basin. Following this, the smugglers allegedly hit the policemen when they stopped the tractors which were ferrying sand. The assailants are said to have attacked the police with shovels and boulders when they were questioned. The incident took place under the limits of the Mallapur police station.
According to reports, there were around 100 assailants. On learning about the incident, additional police force led by the Metpally Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) MD Ghouse Baba reached the spot. The accused then fled the scene and let the tractor behind. The injured policemen were taken to a local hospital for treatment and the vehicles were seized.
The police have registered a case under sections relating to assault on the police personnel and unlawful excavation of sand from Godavari river. Police have started identifying the accused, based on the details of the ownership of the tractors.
The sand reaches along the river Godavari basin area are generally known for sand smuggling. Earlier in June, officials of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a Sub Inspector and a station writer, while they were accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 to release a tractor which was seized while smuggling sand from Thakkallapalli vagu in Korutla manda area.