Activist’s murder: Officials inspect quarry in Pudukottai

Officials inspect stone quarry after activist's murder, investigating illegal mining allegations, leading to arrests and ongoing inspection.

Days after the murder of activist Jagaber Ali, a team of officials of the Department of Geology and Mining inspected a stone quarry at Thulaiyanur in Thirumayam taluk in the district on Tuesday against which allegations of rampant illegal mining had been levelled by the activist before his killing.

The quarry owner Rasu was arrested on charges of killing Jagaber Ali while another owner Ramaiah also named as the accused in the murder case is absconding.  Sources said the department officials from Nagapattinam, Perambalur, Tiruchi and Karur districts launched the inspection in the morning to get a first hand account of the extent of alleged illegal quarrying and that which had been done legally within the sprawling site.

The inspection went on for the whole day as part of which the team deployed a drone to get an aerial view of the extent of quarrying inside. The inspection is expected to continue on Wednesday. Jagaber Ali’s wife in her complaint to the police had stated that her husband had petitioned the authorities concerned regarding the illegal quarrying being carried out by Rasu and Ramaiah. 

The sources said the particular quarry was non-operational but huge stock was piled up inside. Huge amounts as penalty running into several crores of rupees had been imposed against the owners on earlier occasions. Upon conclusion of their inspection, the team would submit a detailed report to the government. The sources further said a district-level team had been constituted to check the other stone quarries functioning in the district, the sources added.