Late on Tuesday, March 19, the situation in Kannur turned tense as members of the public halted sand-laden lorries, shedding light on the unchecked operations of the sand mafia in the region. The sand mafia’s activities, particularly prevalent in areas under the jurisdiction of Konaje, Mangaluru Rural, and Ullal, have raised concerns, with lorries often masking their number plates with grease and stickers as they smuggle sand.
The tension escalated following a collision involving a sand-laden lorry near Kannur, further fueling public outrage. Despite efforts by the police to pacify the situation, the continuous flow of lorries with obscured number plates exacerbated the public’s anger.
Late at night on March 19, several lorries loaded with sand were observed heading towards BC Road, with one colliding with a car, prompting public intervention. However, two lorries managed to evade capture, leading to heightened tensions among the witnesses.
Efforts by the police to regain control were met with challenges, particularly due to the prevalence of sand-laden lorries with faded number plates. Incidents escalated, resulting in physical confrontations, including one individual wielding a hockey stick against a suspected member of the sand mafia. Eventually, additional police reinforcements were deployed, resulting in the seizure of one lorry.
The public expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived inaction of ACP Dhanya Nayak and criticized officials at election checkpoints for neglecting to inspect lorries, potentially facilitating the transportation of illegal goods. Moreover, concerns were raised regarding the alleged involvement of Congress leaders from Talapady, adding further complexity to the situation.
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