Balasore: In a late-night raid, the Soro Tehsil and the Balasore Mining Department seized 19 trucks transporting sand illegally on National Highway-16 near the Soro Police Station in Balsore district on Saturday night. The raid was conducted on the instructions of the Balasore Sub-Collector.
The drivers of the seized vehicles fled the scene, leaving the trucks behind. Additional Tehsildars, mining officers, and police personnel guarded the vehicles throughout the night.
Reports suggest that many more vehicles were left abandoned on the road after the raid. However, the seized trucks will be released after fines are imposed on them, officials said.
Mining Officer Santoshi Prabha Sethi, Additional Tehsildar Daitari Malik, and the Soro police were involved in the raid. This is the second such raid in recent weeks, following a similar operation by the Jalaswar Tehsil on February 21, which resulted in the seizure of over 70 sand trucks.
