Bhopal:
Police in Madhya Pradesh have arrested an alleged sand mafia kingpin and former dacoit Kuber Singh in connection with the firing on policemen and other officials on Friday. And in a related development, contracts of 14 sand mines allegedly indulging in illegal mining have also been cancelled.
"Kuber Singh had been taken in custody on Friday night by the police in Panna. He is being interrogated," Deputy Inspector General (Chattarpur) Ved Praksh said.
Kuber Singh and his gang had allegedly opened fire on a team of sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), sub-divisional officer (police), town inspector and other policemen on Friday when they had gone to stop illegal sand transportation in Chandipati village of Ajaygarh area. No one was hurt in the incident.
The firing incident happened exactly a day after a 30-year-old IPS officer, Narendra Kumar, was killed when a man driving a tractor ran over him. Mr Kumar had tried to stop the tractor, which was loaded with illegally-mined stones in the Morena district. Mr Kumar spotted the tractor while he was out patrolling. When the driver refused to stop, Mr Kumar got out of his jeep and blocked the tractor's path. The driver ploughed into him. Mr Kumar's family has alleged that his killing was a well-planned conspiracy.
Morena district is rich in stones meant for construction and the sand here is one of the finest in the country.