Mapusa | March 09, 2017: Six canoes were seized, while three labourers involved in sand extraction, were arrested in a joint raid conducted at Colvale on Wednesday.

At 3.30am on Wednesday, Mapusa police along with a team of officials under the supervision of assistant geologist, mines department, Sudhir Mandrekar, along with officials from captain of ports and coastal police, conducted a raid in Chapora river at Colvale.

Six canoes involved in sand extraction were seized and the three labourers who were in the canoe were arrested by the team. Sources said that other labourers, on seeing the team, jumped into the river and fled.

Sources said that all canoes involved in the extraction activity had valid licences, but the raid was conducted since the ban on sand extraction has been enforced following the NGT order.

Mapusa police booked and arrested the accused Satya Narayan Ram and Santosh Khairol, both natives of Uttar Pradesh and Prakash Lamani, native of Karnataka, under Goa Minor Mineral Concession Rules Act.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)