Ranipet SIPCOT police arrested K. Rajasekar (21) and N. Sakthivel (24) for illegal sand mining in Ponnai riverbed near Kondakuppam village on Wednesday. A special police team intercepted the suspects during patrols, leading to their capture along with a tractor used for mining. The vehicle and an earthmover were seized, with illegally extracted sand found onboard.

The arrested individuals are residents of Kondakuppam. Initial investigations indicate the sand was transported to private contractors in the district. Police registered a case and formed special teams to track fleeing suspects.

The tractor and earthmover were recovered from the suspects. Arrested persons are held at Central Prison in Vellore. A formal probe is ongoing to identify additional involved parties and quantify the scale of the operation.

The court will review the case details in upcoming hearings. Police have intensified surveillance in the Ranipet SIPCOT area to prevent further illegal activity.