Stones lifted illegally from Sadapathar, Jafflong tourist sites

SYLHET, Aug 18: Organised gangs of miscreants have lifted valuable stones illegally from tourist spots at Sadapathar and Jafflong in the district during the troublesome situation in the country.
Locals said miscreants and political goons are active in taking away stones due to the 'deterioration' of law and order following the student movement that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on 5 August.
The sites are full of white stones, locally known as white gold, which rolls down with gushing waters from upstream in the Meghalaya hills during monsoon season.
A huge stock of while stones are there at the said places where from the miscreants manage looting through negotiating local authorities and political leaders although it is barred for years.
Every year white stones worth crores of taka are lifted by those groups and political goons.
Taking advantage of the sudden change over, stone looting began in several hours. Some groups took away stones by boats on 05 and 06 August.
Some of local grabbers even stockpiled stones in front of their houses and on the riverbank places. Some people took away the stones far away while some sold out the looted stones immediately.
However, locals as well as agitating students and people stopped the looters. Army also stepped in to stop the looters and some stones were seized by law enforcers.
Same way stones were looted from Jafflong zero-point on 5 and 6 August when hundreds of boatloads were taken away.
Locals and army contingents stopped looting while local leaders made loudspeaker announcements for stopping stone looting.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Russel Hassan said the army has been working for keeping the law-and -order situation under control.

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