Sandmining mafia are the modern dacoits of Chambal: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday (April 2, 2026) said the sand mining mafia, who carry “better weapons than the police” and kill those who come in their way with impunity, were the “modern dacoits” of Chambal.

The oral observation from a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was in response to an oft-repeated submission from the Madhya Pradesh government that sand miners plumbing the depths of the Chamball river and devastating the fragile lotic ecosystem of the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary were no lightweights and had superior firepower.

“So, the State government has thrown in the towel. It is an extremely sad state of affairs if the State government says we cannot defend our natural resources. Dacoity, as we knew it traditionally, is of the past. Now these are the modern dacoits, these mining mafias,” Justice Mehta remarked.

Justice Mehta said there were videos that were “literally terrifying”. “One can see the animals moving around as earth-movers dig out the sand,” the judge said.

Amicus curiae, senior advocate Nikhil Goel, said at least 1,000 trucks of sand were mined in a day from the region. The trucks pass by police stations, and sand miners carry better arms.

“Look at the number of Sub-Divisional Magistrates, police and forest officers killed by the mining mafia… But the State has forgotten that there is a law called preventive detention,” Justice Mehta said, remarking that sand mining should come to an absolute halt.

The Bench also stayed a Rajasthan notification of March 9 issued under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 which altered the boundaries of the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, freeing from restrictions 732 hectares of land on both sides of the Chambal river. Justice Mehta said the notification was issued without following the parameters of law.

Mr. Goel pointed out that some of the villages in the area were entirely dependent on sand mining. That there was no other means of livelihood.

“The solution is simple. They would have to relocate. Lack of vocation does not mean that we allow illegal mining from the river, particularly when you are dealing with a protected species. The State is obliged to provide them a vocation,” Justice Mehta said.

The court had taken suo motu cognisance of the rampant illegal sand mining in the sanctuary.

It had previously reminded the States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, in whose tri-junction the sanctuary is located, that every act of destruction of wildlife habitat in a protected area would attract offences and penalties under multiple laws, including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

The Chambal sanctuary is home and breeding spot for the critically-endangered gharials or fish-eating crocodiles. Besides gharials, the sanctuary hosts a rich biodiversity of marsh crocodile muggers, several species of freshwater turtles, including the endangered red crowned roof turtle, smoothcoated otters, gangetic river dolphins, Indian skimmer, black-bellied tern, sarus crane and black-necked storks.

The National Chambal Sanctuary is situated in a large arc of the Chambal River, covering nearly 1,800 km across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is the first and only tri-State riverine protected area in India. About 600 of the 960-km stretch of the Chambal River has been declared as the National Chambal Sanctuary by the three States in their respective territorial jurisdictions. The Chambal sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh was notified on December 20, 1978.

The case was listed for hearing next on May 11.