Two individuals were critically injured on Saturday night during a violent confrontation between local residents and sand mafia operatives near the Subarnarekha River in Balasore district’s Jaleswar. The injured have been admitted to Jaleswar Hospital, where they are receiving intensive care.

According to sources, the clash occurred late at night when villagers attempted to stop the illegal extraction of sand from the river. The sand mafia, reportedly operating under the cover of darkness, was carrying out unauthorized mining at multiple locations along the Subarnarekha river.

Despite repeated raids and monitoring by the local police and the Mines Department, these illegal activities continue, highlighting the persistent challenge faced by authorities in curbing riverbed exploitation.

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