Sand Smugglers Unmasked: Clash in Chhattisgarh Village

In a tense standoff, villagers in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district found themselves in a confrontation with an alleged sand mafia engaged in illegal mining activities.

On Wednesday night, the dispute flared when locals objected to sand being illicitly extracted from the Shivnath river during a village celebration. This prompted an assault by the accused, who subsequently fired into the air before escaping in vehicles, police report.

Authorities have arrested a local corporator and an excavator driver. Efforts continue to apprehend the remaining culprits who fled the scene, and police have seized vital evidence including machinery used in the illegal operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)