Karnataka Orders State-Wide Police Crackdown On Illegal Sand Mining

The Karnataka State government and the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) have issued strict directions to police units across Karnataka, including officers in Bengaluru, to initiate an intensified crackdown on illegal sand mining, storage, and transportation. Formulated under the State government’s 'Zero Tolerance' policy, the high-level directive warns that police officers who fail to curb illegal sand trade activities within their respective jurisdictions will face disciplinary action.

In a detailed circular addressed to all Police Commissioners, Inspectors General of Police, Deputy Inspectors General of Police, and Superintendents of Police, the DG&IGP laid out a comprehensive enforcement strategy. The directive demands coordinated action across all police divisions to ensure the strict and uniform implementation of laws regulating sand extraction, storage, and transport throughout Karnataka.

As part of the operational plan, district and taluk task forces have been ordered to identify illegal mining hotspots, monitor ongoing activities, and take swift legal action against violators. Police units across the State have been directed to gather actionable intelligence and conduct surprise raids on suspect sites. In addition, officers have been authorized to invoke the Goonda Act against repeat offenders involved in illicit sand mining operations.

To prevent the illegal movement and storage of extracted sand, police officers have been instructed to coordinate closely with key government departments, including the Mines and Geology department, the Revenue department, and the Forest department. The circular stresses that enforcement teams must pay particular attention to monitoring activities along Karnataka's interstate borders to stop unauthorized cross-border sand transport.

Highlighting the broader risks of illicit extraction, Home Minister Priyank Kharge stated that illegal sand mining poses serious threats to natural resources, damages the environment, and creates law and order problems, while also causing substantial revenue losses to the government. The enforcement directive follows a Lokayukta investigation into alleged sand mining violations along the Krishna riverbed in Bagalkot district.