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NAYAGARH, May 14: (Report- Ramakrushna Rath): The Nayagarh district administration and the local police department launched a massive joint operation to stop illegal sand mining. They call this mission 'Operation Clean'. The authorities took strict action against the unauthorised digging and transport of sand across the district. 
'Operation Clean' in Nayagarh: Mega Raid Busts Illegal Sand Mining Mafia


The Joint Operation

On May 13, 2026, Nayagarh District Collector Madhumita Rath and Superintendent of Police (SP) S. Sushree led a special joint team. They conducted a large-scale raid at the Madhapur and Patharachakada sand mines. These areas fall under the Fategarh police station limits. The swift operation exposed a wide network of illegal sand operations in the region.
Several senior officials actively participated in this major raid. The team included Nayagarh Additional District Magistrate Bijayananda Nayak, Nayagarh Tehsildar Rajesh Keshari Swain, Daspalla Tehsildar Smruti Ranjan Satapathy, and the Inspector-In-Charge of the Fategarh police station. 
'Operation Clean' in Nayagarh: Mega Raid Busts Illegal Sand Mining Mafia


Seizure of Vehicles and Equipment

During the raid, the task force seized many vehicles and heavy machines. The operators used these machines for digging and moving sand illegally. The police seized the following assets:
  • Four heavy trucks (Hyva): Registration numbers OD 02 CZ 7696, OD 02 CU 6655, OD 02 DA 0151, and OD 02 BK 5151.
  • Two tractors: Registration numbers OD 25 G 6031/6032 and OD 25 M 7972/7973.
  • Three motorcycles: Registration numbers OD 05 BE 5546, OD 25 B 6290, and OD 05 CJ 2004.
  • Five excavator machines: The administration took control of five large Kobelco digging machines.
Additionally, officials found and seized two large heaps of illegally stored sand located just outside the designated mining zone. 

Detentions and Legal Actions

The police caught 14 individuals at the location. Officers took them to the Fategarh police station for further questioning. The detained individuals are Kabindra Mantri, Madhab Khandalkel, Arat Charan Dalai, Suresh Sethi, Raja Guru, Jayant Pradhan, Babuli Dalua, Trinath Barik, Ajay Nayak, Melachha Nayak, Shyamsundar Sahu, Kalu Nayak, Deepak Kumar Majhi, and Amit Parida.
The administration ordered immediate strict punishments. Officials directed the local mining officers to auction the seized sand right away according to government rules. They will also collect heavy fines from the owners of the seized vehicles. Furthermore, the police will file formal criminal cases against all the accused individuals. 
'Operation Clean' in Nayagarh: Mega Raid Busts Illegal Sand Mining Mafia




Official Warning

The district administration issued a very strong warning to all illegal operators. They stated clearly that no one can extract valuable minerals without proper permission. The authorities decided to take even stricter legal actions against rule breakers moving forward. They promised to continue these regular raids in the coming days to protect the natural resources of the district.