Bantwal: A team of officials from revenue and mining departments raided an illegal sand mining site in the banks of River Nethravati at Thumbe, Maripalla and seized 20 boats on Friday morning.

Following orders of the DC, the Department of Mining and Bantwal Revenue division executed the raid in collaboration with rural police. The confiscated boats, numbering 20, were transferred to Adyar in Mangaluru taluk. However, no sand was discovered in the boats and all the labourers involved in sand quarrying had allegedly escaped from the spot before the raid, the police stated.

Mining Department Assistant Director Krishnaveni, Senior Geologist Girish Mohan, Mahadeshwar, Bantwal Tahsildar Archana Bhat, Mangalore Revenue officer Prashanth Patil, Bantwal Revenue Inspector Janardhan, village accountants and Bantwal rural police participated in the raid.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Mangaluru.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Ranchi: Champai Soren, a prominent figure in Jharkhand’s statehood movement, is contesting the 2024 assembly elections from Seraikela, a seat he has consistently held since 1991.

However, there is a surprising shift in his political journey this year. Having resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) earlier this year, Soren is now representing the BJP, a move that could significantly impact the electoral dynamics in the state.

Soren’s switiching is seen as a strategic benefit for the saffron party, which has been working to expand its appeal among Jharkhand’s tribal communities, a demographic traditionally aligned with the JMM. His departure from the JMM, led by Shibu Soren and his son Hemant Soren, was fueled by dissatisfaction with the state government’s policies, which he claimed had failed to address tribal concerns.

Also known as "Jharkhand’s Tiger" for his instrumental role in the statehood movement of the 1990s, Champai Soren has respect and influence among tribal voters. His decision to switch the party could be a turning point in the BJP’s efforts to gain a stronger hold in a state where tribal votes often decide the outcome.