Karnataka: 14 arrested for illegal mining in abandoned gold mine
India
Police in Karnataka's Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) just arrested 14 people for removing soil from an abandoned shaft of an old, shut-down mine that contained traces of gold.
The arrests were reported on February 19—over two decades after the mines closed.
Everyone involved is now facing charges under mining and criminal laws, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Illegal mining on the rise
Officers seized 12 sacks of gold-laced soil from the group after a tip-off about illegal mining in KGF Nagar.
With gold prices soaring, KGF has seen a spike in gold-related crimes lately—even local politicians have been arrested in incidents involving gold.
All this shows how the hunt for leftover gold keeps drawing people back to these old mines, keeping police on their toes.