VELLORE: The ongoing tussle between residents of Perumugai on the banks of Palar near Vellore and sand miners escalated with a tractor driver being thrashed by villagers for quarrying sand over and above the government stipulated limit on Tuesday.

Sand mining in the government quarry in the river was suspended as there was heavy flow after the recent rains. However, once the downpour stopped quarrying resumed with miners removing sand over and above the government stipulated limit.

What triggered the fracas was that sand miners needing a spot to dump sand chose a burial ground and hence removed palmyrah trees from there. The extensive mining activity around the burial ground turned it into an island. Angry villagers expressed fears that when water flows again the burial ground would be washed away and people would have no place to bury the dead.

This resulted in an argument and during the course of the verbal duel villagers thrashed a tractor driver. Police rescued the driver and sent him to hospital. Cops were continuing talks.

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