Acting on the orders of Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Rajasthan Police have escalated their “Zero Tolerance” drive against unlawful sand and gravel mining, storage, and transportation in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary region. The state-wide crackdown, ongoing since the start of 2025, has gained momentum following directives from the Supreme Court on April 17, 2026. Under the supervision of the Crime Branch at Police Headquarters, teams from Dholpur and Karauli districts are conducting coordinated operations against illegal sand mining networks along the Chambal river belt.
Rajasthan’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), V.K. Singh, reported that from January 2025 to April 2026, a total of 392 criminal cases linked to illegal gravel mining and transportation were registered in Dholpur and Karauli districts. Investigations have been completed and charge sheets filed in 342 cases, with rapid progress in the remaining matters. The campaign aims not only to apprehend vehicle drivers involved in illegal transportation but also to dismantle the organized network by naming vehicle owners as co-accused.
In 195 cases, both drivers and registered vehicle owners were arrested, as per official records. Additionally, 70 repeat offenders engaged in illegal mining activities since 2024 were identified. Dholpur Superintendent of Police Vikas Sangwan disclosed that the district police recorded 353 cases related to illegal gravel mining and transportation between January 2025 and April 2026, including 250 cases in 2025 and 103 cases in 2026 up to April. Charge sheets were filed in 306 cases, with only 11 cases resulting in Final Reports, while 36 cases are still under investigation.
To disrupt the organized sand mafia network, Dholpur Police apprehended both drivers and vehicle owners in 187 cases. Authorities also pinpointed 68 habitual offenders involved in illegal mining activities over the past three years. In a significant move, police invoked Section 112(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in 37 serious cases, including 17 cases in 2025 and 20 cases in 2026, related to organized crime. Police initiated asset attachment proceedings under Section 107 of the BNS, with attachment orders issued in one case and three petitions filed before courts.
Karauli Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sonwal mentioned that the district police registered 76 cases concerning illegal mining and transportation between 2023 and May 2026. Charge sheets have been filed in 72 cases, while four cases are under investigation. Police in Karauli arrested 124 accused, comprising 44 vehicle owners and 80 drivers. During enforcement operations, authorities confiscated 361 tonnes of illegally mined gravel from the Chambal region, with quantities seized in different years. The anti-mining campaign will persist with stringent enforcement measures in the Chambal sanctuary region.
