JAIPUR: The shocking death of Jajpur Town Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Manoj Kumar Behera, still shrouded in mystery, has brought the focus back on rampant smuggling of minor minerals which goes right under the nose of the district administration.Behera was crushed near Nuapada Chowk on NH- 215 late on Sunday while he was inspecting vehicles carrying smuggled minerals.
Interestingly, the chips-laden truck which crushed the RTO was from Dharmasala area and the materials were loaded from an illegal crusher allegedly operated by a Zilla Parishad member belonging to the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).Going by the rising spate of violence in Dankari, Bichhakhandi, Anjira and other areas under Dharmasala tehsil in the past, it is evident that mining mafia rule the roost as most of them belong to the ruling party.
Most of these illegal operators mine morum, laterite stone, black stone and sand but escape action given the political patronage they enjoy. Such is their clout that even police keep mum. In some quarrying areas, the role of police is not above the board.Sources said a youth of Talajanga village was killed three days back due to his opposition to illegal mining in Bichhakahandi area, but it was projected as a fallout of a love story.
The illegal operators also defy all rules and regulations prescribed by the Government in connivance with the local Revenue, Forest and Mining officials.Apart from Dharmasala tehsil, Barchana too has turned a haven for the mining mafia with support of ruling party leaders and bureaucrats. As a result, illegal stone crushers have mushroomed in the region. On the other hand, the enforcing authorities feign ignorance about such nefarious activities.
While Jajpur Police is still clueless about Behera’s death even two days after the ghastly incident, an MVI and an engineer of NHAI on Tuesday visited the spot to take stock of the situation. Police also grilled the three officials who had assisted Behera during the inspection to get some lead. Meanwhile, Jajpur Police said it is working on all the angles. “Prima facie, it does not appear planned but we are investigating the case from all angles,” said Jajpur Road SDPO Kedarnath Sahoo.Police also interrogated the injured driver of the truck which crushed the RTO to gather more leads in the case.