Patna: In a crackdown on illegal sand mining, Aurangabad district magistrate Rahul Ranjan Mahiwal on Monday raided those involved in it along the Sone river in Barun block and seized three earthmovers and five vehicles, including tractors and trucks.

The raid was conducted in the morning at sand ghats near Anikat and Thamni along the Sone after receiving complaints about various irregularities.

"We had gone to the sand ghats on the basis of complaints and as part of our efforts to streamline sand mining. Our action is a part of regular operations, in which our teams conduct raids three to four times every week," Mahiwal said.

Nobody could be arrested in the raid as the persons involved in the mining fled from the spot when they saw the team of district administration, including police personnel, coming towards them.

"We will lodge an FIR in this regard. Owners of the seized vehicles and machinery will be traced and booked," Mahiwal added.

The area where the raid was conducted is part of the traditional Sone river bed and sand in bulk gets deposited during monsoon when the river flows into Bihar from Madhya Pradesh.

Sone's sand is considered best for construction activities, hence it is in great demand in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other neighbouring states.

At present there are 72 sand ghats in Aurangabad, out of which 60 are operational, while there is a stay from the court on mining activities on the remaining 12.

Though permission for sand mining at Anikat and Thamni has been granted by the state and environment agencies, those involved in it either dig deeper than the depth permitted or work day and night against the norms.

They sometimes hoard it illegally for export or try to evade the government control on mining, transportation and export of the valuable construction material. All these result in massive revenue loss to the government.