Sand mafia attempts to murder officers in Udupi

Udupi District Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis, Assistant Commissioner Shilpa Nag were the target of the sand mafia along with other officials. The Deputy Commissioner told newsmen here along with her, gunman Prithivraj, Village Assistant of Ampar village Kantharaj and Nag’s husband were attacked when they were traveling in two cars to the spot. 

She said that the information about the raid was not given to other officers because of complaints that the illegal sand extractors usually get a tip-off. They first went to Halnadu village where they were followed by some men on motorcycles. Soon after seeing her gunman, who was in police uniform, those gathered fled.

The officers took six people into custody for illegal sand extraction and handed them over to the Kundapur police station. Later, when the team went to Kandlur village, they were followed by about 20 people on 10 motorcycles. There were about seven to eight temporary sheds there. As soon the team arrived at around midnight the illegal sand extractors started running. Her gunman chased one of them, who ran into one of the sheds. Though he managed to bring back the extractor, he was followed by about 50 to 60 persons from the shed.

Priyanka Francis told them that she was the Deputy Commissioner, but it made no impact on the crowd, which kept using abusive language. Some locals realised that the situation would go out of hand and helped the officers to get into their cars and leave the place. Some persons from the shed tried to block her car, but the car driver managed to dodge them. Some others pounded their fists on Nag’s car. But they managed to get out.

In the confusion, Kantharaj got left behind and he was beaten by the occupants of the shed. Francis then called the police, who rescued him. She then came to Udupi and lodged a complaint at the Town Police Station.