Sand mafia from Maharashtra threatens Karnataka ex-MLA at gunpoint

Ex-MLA Ravikantha Patil was shot at by sand mafia when he tried to stop four lorries transporting sand illegally. Incident occurred near Punjabi Dhaba on the National Highway near Archanala. On a tip off, Patil informed RTO office and tried to stop the lorries when sand contractors arrived in cars and shot in air

Former MLA Ravikantha Patil was shot at by sand mafia from the border district of Maharashtra when he tried to stop four tipper lorries illegally transporting sand near Jhalaki, Indi taluk on Friday. The miscreants shot in air and he was not injured.

On seeing that illegal sand was being transported from Indi to Sollapura, border district of Maharashtra, former MLA Ravikantha Patil stopped them at  Jhalaki, 4 km away from RTO checkpost and informed the RTO. The tipper lorries were brought to the RTO check post and Pintu Patil, the sand mafia king pin from Shengava village, Sollapura district, Maharashtra arrived with four of his aids and shot in air to threaten Ravikantha Patil.

Jhalaki police have registered a case against five.

District SP Kuladeep Jain has said that prima facie it is not confirmed but a case has been registered and investigations are on.