Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, July 31: Police from the Kankanady Town station have seized a pickup vehicle involved in illegal sand transport and a scooter that was being used to escort it.

According to police, sub-inspector Shivakumar was conducting a routine vehicle check around 6:30 am on July 29 when a suspicious pickup truck was spotted near the Chapel Church Road in Adankudru. On seeing the police, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene.

Soon after, police detained a scooter rider, Naushad Ali, who was following the pickup. During questioning, he admitted that he was accompanying the pickup driven by Sunil D’Souza. They had allegedly loaded sand illegally from the banks of the Nethravathi River near Adankudru.

As the accused were found to be transporting sand without paying royalty to the state government, the police seized the pickup vehicle, scooter, and the sand load.

Investigations are ongoing.