Illegal river sand dredging makes rail bridge unsafe; Case filed against two

First India Bureau

Palghar: The illegal dredging of sand from the Vaitarna river is threatening the safety of the rail bridge between Vaitarna and Safale stations, in Palghar district, police said on Wednesday. Vaitarna and Saphale railway stations lie next to Virar on the western line of the Mumbai suburban network.

A criminal offence was registered against two persons recently at Mandvi police station under section 151 of the Railways Act (Damage to or destruction of certain railway properties), various sections of the Indian Penal Code, and the Environment Protection Act for illegal sand mining.

“During the inspection of the bridge on

Bodyguard of former minister found dead

First india Bureau

Thane: On Wednesday morning, a police constable who had previously served as a bodyguard for a former state minister was discovered dead on railway tracks in Taloja, Thane district. Officials believe that the constable may have taken his own life.

Monday, police found a suction pump was pulling out sand from the Vaitarna river. The pump was found mounted on a boat in the vicinity. The sand was being collected and heaped at the site,” he said.

Police destroyed the suction pump and the boat. No arrest has been made so far in the case, a police officer said.

The Government Railway Police have identified the deceased constable as Vaibhav Kadam, who was a bodyguard of ex-minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lead- er Jitendra Awhad, said an official. Kadam was also one of the accused in a case where a man named Anant Karmuse claimed he was assaulted at Awhad's Thane home due to a Facebook post. According to an official, Kadam is believed to have hurled himself in front of a fast-moving train and perished.