Patna, April 18: Authorities in Rohtas demolished 75 illegal stone crusher units during a special drive against unauthorised mining in the district on Monday. However, nobody could be arrested.

A joint police, civil administration and forest department team conducted the raids at Gopibigha under the jurisdiction of Dehri-on-Sone police station in Rohtas district early on Monday and demolished illegal crusher units.

Rohtas superintendent of police (SP) Manavjeet Singh Dhillon said five JCB machines were pressed into service for the police operation.

The operation continued from 5.30am to 9.30am. The officials, however, expressed surprise at the sudden disappearance of labourers from the site. "It seems information about the operation was leaked," a senior official said.

Strategy for the police drive was chalked out a day earlier. The officials were asked to be ready for police action. The raiding teams seized some crusher machines and generators, a large quantity of stone chips and raw materials.

The SP said named FIRs would be lodged against those involved in violating the rule of law. The government has already banned mining in the protected forest area and the authorities concerned had not renewed licences, he clarified.

The SP reiterated that the operation against illegal stone crushers would continue. But a section of officials said the crusher units were running with the district administration's knowledge.

On March 29, alleged henchmen of a mafia leader, Kanhaiya Singh, attacked a police team in Agrer police station area when they had gone to arrest an accused. A constable, Akshay Kumar received bullet injuries in the incident.

Later, the police arrested 11 persons, including the alleged mafia man's nephew Munna Kumar, from his ancestral village of Badhaiyabagh. Deputy inspector-general (Shahabad range) Mohammad Rahman had directed the SP to arrest Kanhaiya within a week.

Kanhaiya, however, remains at large. The investigating officer reportedly moved court seeking an order to attach Kanhaiya's property. Dehri sub-divisional officer Pankaj Patel and additional superintendent of police S.K. Saroj were part of the raiding team.

Authorities said Gopibigha, Mahdeva and Kharpura have been identified as vulnerable places for illegal mining.

Last year, the government had ordered to set up integrated check posts at six places along national highway 2 to check unauthorised transport of stone chips.