Manipur: Five arrested for illegal stone mining and transport near Assam border

Imphal: In a crackdown on illegal mining and transportation, five individuals were arrested at Jiribam in Manipur, near the Assam border, for transporting construction materials, stone chips, and stone boulders without valid documents.

Elangbam Nirmala Chanu, Divisional Forest Officer, Jiribam Forest Division, Government of Manipur, in an official statement issued on Wednesday, stated that the Divisional Forest Officer, along with Jiribam Police, during random patrolling at Jiribam, seized five vehicles (AS11BC9522; AS09BC0521; MN06T3235; MZ06A2015; MP09DU4286) loaded with forest produce.

The illegal items included 66 cubic meters of stone chips and stone boulders on November 18, 2025, at around 7:00 p.m. (after sunset) from Leingnangpokpi, Jiribam.

The forest produce was transported without valid permits and transit passes issued by the competent authority, in clear violation of the provisions under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (as amended from time to time), read with the Indian Forest (Manipur Amendment), 2018; the Manipur Forest Rules, 2021; and the order of the High Court of Manipur dated July 9, 2019 (PIL No. 5 of 2019).

The statement further noted that a Preliminary Offence Report has been registered for the forest offence.

The five drivers were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class of Jiribam District on Wednesday.

The seized forest produce and vehicles will be processed in the Office of the Authorised Officer, Jiribam Forest Division, Government of Manipur, in accordance with the relevant Acts and Rules.