Bloodied clothes, dead bodies: Demand for sand leaves behind devastating toll

It’s hard to imagine a shortage of sand. The endless dunes of the Thar stretch for miles, vast beaches line the seas, and riverbanks are covered with sand. It is everywhere — fills the headlines time after time, and stains the bloodied clothes of those who stand in the way of the sand mafia. That’s exactly what’s wrong.The country’s construction boom has led to an insatiable appetite for sand — not just any sand, but that extracted from riverbeds or banks, where the grains are well-sized, shaped, and suited for binding with cement and other building materials. Wind-weathered desert sand and ocean-tossed grains from the sea are not suitable for construction.Sand is Earth’s most mined material. However, its demand is rapidly outpacing supply. As legal avenues struggle to keep up, illegal sand mining has emerged as a lucrative, albeit dangerous, industry. The consequences are both devastating and deadly for the environment and the people.The human toll of illegal sand mining is immense. In states like Madhya Pradesh, villagers and officials who attempt to stand up to the sand mafia face coldblooded retaliation. Indrapal Agariya, a 35-year-old farmer from Singrauli district, was beaten and crushed to death for trying to protect his land on September 1. His fault: stopping two sand-laden tractors from driving through his paddy fields. It’s a chilling example of the dangers faced by those who oppose illegal mining. medium nocaption113183984Power connectionsHis story is not isolated. A police officer was murdered in MP’s Shahdol in May and a tehsildar escaped an attempted assassination in AugustThe sand mafia’s deep-rooted connections with local power structures make it difficult for the law to prevail, leaving many communities in a state of fear and uncertainty. Across India, police officers, government officials, and ordinary citizens have lost their lives or faced serious threats for attempting to combat illegal sand mining. In 2022, Haryana witnessed 12 sand mining-related attacks in Nuh, including the killing of DSP Surender Singh on July 19. Singh was run over by a dumper truck while investigating illegal mining near Panchgaon. Six suspects have been arrested, and the case is ongoing. A judicial commission was formed to investigate but was disbanded in 2023. Singh’s son Sidharth was appointed DSP on compassionate grounds. Yet, the family hasn’t got closure as trial continues.Environmental activists highlight that corruption, inadequate resources and ineffective enforcement are major hurdles in combating these illegal activities.Kalyana Karnataka, with its vast sand plains from the Tungabhadra, Krishna, Malaprabha, and Bhima rivers, has become a hub for the sand mafia. Despite bans, illegal mining continues, particularly in Kalaburagi, Raichur, Ballari and Koppal districts. Mandya SP N Yathish said trenches have been dug to prevent law-enforcement vehicles from entering the Maddur region after illegal mining was detected. large113187946The mafia’s deep connections complicate efforts to curb their operations. Notable cases include the 2017 assassination attempt on DC Ujwal Kumar Ghosh and the killing of village accountant Saheb Patel in Raichur in 2018. In June 2023, police constable Mayur Bhimu Chavan was fatally run over while trying to stop illegal mining in the Bhima river.The method of extraction depends on where the sand is located. Equipment costs for illegal operations include excavation machines priced between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 60 lakh, and tipper trucks costing Rs 45 lakh apiece.Along rivers, sand is often dug up with excavators, shovels or bare hands. Miners also use dredging boats rigged with suction pumps. In states like Kerala, Goa and Bihar, the sand mafia operates at night using boats and metal scoops, evading authorities by minimising storage and using escorts to avoid police.The volume of this underground economy is hard to quantify. For instance, in West Bengal, the legal sand trade is valued at Rs 3,500 crore annually, but illegal mining remains widespread. Operators in Birbhum mine 1,200-1,500 truckloads daily, with illegal sand fetching up to Rs 50,000 per truckload in Kolkata. Despite the introduction of the West Bengal Sand Mining Policy in 2021, which includes drone surveillance and auctioning mining rights, the mafia continues to thrive, often bribing officials to bypass legal constraints. medium nocaption113184236Same story in Goa, where the construction industry is grappling with a severe sand shortage due to a prolonged ban on legal sand mining, leading to rampant illegal extraction. Prices have skyrocketed to Rs 35,000 per truck.Unregulated mining has caused substantial environmental damage, including riverbank collapses in 12 villages along the Mandovi. Poor migrant workers, operating in unsafe conditions, extract sand overnight to evade authorities. Govt’s efforts to expedite legal approvals have been delayed by court rulings, leaving builders to blame the sand shortage on a thriving sand mafia.In Kerala, illegal sand is sold at Rs 9,500-Rs 10,000 for 150 cubic feet, with huge profits. Despite the 2015 Kerala HC ban and NGT directives, illegal mining persists in areas like the Bharathapuzha and Neyyar rivers. In 2023, seven police officers were dismissed for colluding with the mafia, and numerous cases and vehicle seizures have been made to curb illegal activities.In Tamil Nadu, a study revealed sand quarrying far exceeded permitted limits, with excess mining valued at Rs 4,730 crore. Rivers such as Cauvery and Kollidam are heavily exploited, leading to groundwater depletion. Although authorities have made arrests, officials face threats from the sand mafia. In June, an attempt was made on the life of a revenue divisional officer in Pudukkottai, underscoring the dangers faced by those combating illegal mining.Rajasthan’s ban on river sand excavation during the monsoon and expiring leases have led to increased illegal mining and inflated sand prices. Prices of pre-monsoon stockpiles have surged from Rs 1,150 a tonne to Rs 1,500-Rs 1,750 in August.Delays in auctioning sand leases and inactive contracts in Sawai Madhopur and Bhilwara have worsened the shortage, letting the mafia dictate terms. Villagers in Nagaur district alleged that illegal mining in Luni river continued in the rainy season, with scores of trucks shipping sand from riverbeds in Alniyawas, Riwayawas, and others. The leases in the district expired in February. large113183067In India, sand is classified as a minor mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957. However, sand is a major resource after the 2000 bifurcation of Bihar, with most metal ores going to Jharkhand. The 2016 liquor ban further shifted the focus of illicit profits to sand, with law enforcement often targeted by the mafia’s violent reprisals. Major cases include the killings of a constable and a sub-inspector by tractors in Aurangabad and Jamui, and attacks on mining officers in Patna and Kishanganj.Legal mining is permitted at 155 ghats across 12 districts in Bihar, but illegal activities continue year-round, costing the exchequer about Rs 1,000 crore annually. In 2022-2023, over 16,185 raids were conducted, resulting in 3,295 FIRs, 181 arrests, and 14,670 vehicle seizures.Former DGP Neelmani called for strict measures to protect government revenues. “The first thing that should be done is confiscating ill-gotten properties of those involved in the illegal sand mining business,” he suggested.During the 2022 assembly elections in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal promised an annual income of Rs 20,000 crore from sand mining. However, illegal sand mining remains a major issue, with illicit operations far exceeding the revenue from legal mining. Illegal mining flourishes, especially during the monsoon when government sites are closed. large113183463The illegitimate sector is bolstered by alleged collusion between political figures police, and mining officials. High-profile cases include the January 2022 seizure of Rs 6 crore from former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi’s nephew Bhupinder Singh alias Honey and the resignation of power minister Rana Gurjit Singh in May 2017. On May 29, 2024, the Enforcement Directorate raided 13 illegal mining sites in Ropar, seizing Rs 3.5 crore linked to money laundering involving drug lord Jagdish Bhola.The demand-supply gap drives the illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh. Despite a ban during the monsoon, cases persist. But those involved in these activities often manage to evade capture. On July 10, three policemen were suspended for allowing sand excavation from the Son river, and several excavators and dumpers were seized in Unnao and Mathura.India’s sand crisis is a stark reminder of the hidden costs of economic growth. The environmental damage is vast and far-reaching. Rivers are being stripped of their sand, leading to altered flow patterns, increased erosion and loss of biodiversity.boxcontent How mafia split a sacred river into two for illicit trade The bulldozer grunts on the shore of the Ganga in UP’s Unnao, baring its teeth. There are trucks and tractors waiting to be loaded with sand, and more almost certainly on the way.This is how it is here, where the sand mining mafia built a road that cuts through the Ganga at Sumerpur Ghat. This unauthorised road has split the sacred river into two streams, creating a pathway for transporting their illicit cargo under the cover of night.On another road of Unnao, the shadows of a dark tragedy loom large over the Tripathi household. Shubham Mani Tripathi, a young journalist in his mid-20s, was gunned down in cold blood on June 19, 2020. His crime? Publishing a series of investigative articles exposing the illegal activities of Kanhaiya Awasthi and his wife Divya Awasthi — known as the “bhu mafia”.“My brother was killed for speaking the truth,” Shubham’s elder brother Rishabh Mani said. “In a town where silence once protected the corrupt, Shubham’s voice — though silenced — was an example of courage and resistance. The least we can do is to ensure that his killers pay for their crimes.”Just three months before his murder, Shubham had married on Feb 26, 2020, marking what should have been the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Shubham’s father died in March 2020, deeply affected by the threats his son received from the Awasthis.The family’s home is now under round-the-clock security, with an armed policeman permanently stationed there — a grim reminder of the threats that still hang over them. But the administration provided no financial assistance or job offers.At 30, Rishabh runs a small café and online service centre. “After my brother’s death, I was responsible for managing everything for the family. My priority was seeking justice for Shubham and ensuring the killers were held accountable. I couldn’t afford to spend time pursuing financial aid from govt offices.”The road to justice has been long and arduous. Of the 16 charged in connection with Shubham’s murder, only five are currently behind bars. The incarcerated Awasthi couple’s assets and properties, worth Rs 15 crore, have been seized. The Supreme Court’s recent rejection of Kanhaiya’s bail application has brought some solace to the Tripathi family, but the pain of their loss remains ever-present.(Inputs from Amarjeet Singh in Bhopal, Gauree Malkarnekar in Goa, Lawrence Milton in Mysuru, Rohit Khanna in Kolkata, Rajeev KR & Saikiran KP in Thiruvananthapuram, Julie Mariappan & Gokul R in Chennai, Manoj Chaurasia in Patna, Shalabh in Lucknow, Ajay Singh Ugras in Jaipur)