Check Dam in Karimnagar Blasted, Sand Mafia Blamed

Karimnagar: A new check dam on the Manair river, built at a cost of around Rs 23 million, was reportedly destroyed using explosives between Gumpula in Odela mandal in Peddapalli district and Tanugula in Jammikunta mandal in Karimnagar district, officials said. Suspicions focus on the sand mafia operating in the region.

The check dam, which was planned to be opened, was seriously damaged with cracks and breaches 90 meters long in three places. Irrigation authorities lodged a complaint with the Jammikunta Police stating that the attack was carried out using detonators or gelatin sticks and strongly suspected that it was the work of the sand mafia, whose illegal operations were stopped due to the presence of the dam.

The failure of the check dam poses a serious threat to irrigation and has the potential to transform around 3,000 acres of agricultural land in the surrounding area along Gumpula, Tanugula and Shambunipally of united Karimnagar.

The check dam served to keep the area green and provided a stable water supply for agriculture. The illegal sand trade, which was earlier heavily carried out by 300 to 400 tractors and trucks illegally transporting sand to Hyderabad and other areas, was severely restricted due to the dam’s water reserves. Authorities believed the criminals realized they could only continue their highly profitable, large-scale mining operations if the structure was removed.

Following the incident, irrigation officials, including EE K. Balaramaiah and DE Ravi, rushed to the spot and confirmed preliminary evidence of the explosion. Ravi lodged a formal complaint stating that unidentified persons had burst the dam and stated that the damage had damaged 100 acres of cropland in the immediate vicinity and estimated the financial loss to be around 3 million rupees.

EE Balaramaiah stated that the act appeared to be a deliberate blast, possibly carried out by the sand mafia, and promised strict action against the perpetrators. Jammikunta police registered a case and CI S. Rama Krishna confirmed that investigation into the demolition was ongoing.