Bantwal: Early Friday morning, a joint team from the revenue and mining departments conducted a raid on an illegal sand mining site along the banks of the Nethravati River near Thumbe and Maripalla, seizing 20 boats involved in the operation.
Following directives from the District Commissioner, officials from the Department of Mining and the Bantwal Revenue Division collaborated with the rural police to carry out the raid. The confiscated boats were transported to Adyar in Mangaluru taluk. According to police reports, no sand was found on the boats, and the laborers engaged in the sand extraction had fled the scene before the authorities arrived.
The operation was led by Mining Department Assistant Director Krishnaveni and included Senior Geologist Girish Mohan, officials Mahadeshwar, Bantwal Tahsildar Archana Bhat, Mangaluru Revenue Officer Prashanth Patil, Bantwal Revenue Inspector Janardhan, village accountants, and personnel from the Bantwal rural police force.