Sundargarh: In a gruesome incident, a youth was axed to death by two sand mafias reportedly for opposing illegal transportation of the minor mineral from the Ib river bed on Wednesday. The incident has been reported from Daijamahula village under Sundargarh Sadar police limits in the district.
The deceased has been identified as Sonu Negi, a 33-year-old from a nearby locality.
According to the police, Sonu and his friend had gone to the Ib river for bathing on Wednesday morning. There, they saw sand being loaded on two tractors at an illegal quarry. Sonu opposed the illegal loading of sand and even warned the tractor drivers to inform the authorities about it.
Sonu’s opposition led to a verbal spat with the drivers, who soon left for their village and informed their vehicle owners Durgamadhab Ekka and Trilochan Sa about the incident.
The two owners rushed to the river bed and indulged in a brawl with Sonu. Things turned ugly when, in a fit of rage, the sand mafia attacked Sonu with an axe leading to his death. The two mafias fled the spot soon after committing the crime.
Sonu’s friend rushed to his village and informed his family members about the incident. Soon, Sonu’s family along with some locals rescued him in critical condition and rushed him to Sundargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH).
Later, Sonu was shifted to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla, where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.
The Sadar police have registered a case in this connection based on an FIR lodged by Sonu’s family members.
While the police have started an investigation into the case, sources said that Sonu had past enmity with Durgamadhav and fought against the latter several times over sand mining in the region.
