Sangli, Jan 29: After news of Yashwant Sonawane's gruesome murder rocked our psyche and revealed the clout of the oil mafia rampant in the country; now its the turn of the sand mafia in Maharashtra to show its claws and how their senseless profit-making motive is causing a major dent in the eco-system.

Also with their large unflinching support from various political groups, they have even gone to the extent of attacking a government official. This comes days after the Additional District Collector of Malegaon was attacked by oil mafia and murdered.

A government official in Sangli, Maharashtra Srinivas Patil was attacked by people part of the sand mafia. He was trying to stop the illegal sand mining flourishing in the area. He was on duty and was trying to stop a truck that was making away with illegally mined sand. He was following the truck on his bike, when three men started showering stones at him. Police managed to nab all the three men involved and arrested them.

This just shows the underbelly of mafia and the power they enjoy. While widespread raids are underway to check oil pilferage, there exists a parallel expanding sand mafia as well.

OneIndia News