NOIDA, April 16 -- Five people were arrested for allegedly firing at a patrol team of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) after it tried to stop illegal sand mining in Sector 17, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Monday night, they said.

According to police, a complaint was filed by assistant manager (security) Sanjay Kumar Srivastava alleging that at least 10 men, including Dankaur resident Deepak Kasana, were excavating truckloads of sand from a vacant plot owned by the YEIDA.

A patrol unit of security supervisor Pramod Kumar, gunmen Harendra Singh and Udayveer Singh and guard Vinod Kumar spotted the movement of heavy vehicles and tried to stop the illegal activity but they were allegedly abused by Kasana and his men.

When the officials asked to stop illegal sand excavation, the accused opened fire and tried to overturn their vehicle with the help of a JCB machine, police said.

Munindra Singh, in-charge at Dankaur police station, said, "Five people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

"They have been identified as Ravindra, Nikki, Deepak Kasana, Gaurav and Rahul.

A JCB machine and a dumper have been recovered from the spot."

A case has been registered against the accused at Dankaur police station under relevant sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 21 of Mines and Minerals Act,

police said.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.