Bhilwara: In a controversial turn of events in Bhilwara, a trainee sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) was demoted and transferred just a day after she attempted a crackdown on alleged illegal river sand (bajri) mining involving a local politician. Suman Gurjar, who had joined as trainee SDM at Kotdi on Monday, intercepted a tractor allegedly carrying illegally mined river sand during her routine inspection in the Kotdi area the same afternoon. The incident quickly escalated when the local ‘pradhan’ (elected panchayat samiti head), Karan Singh, claimed the tractor was carrying soil for his garden rather than illegal sand.The situation took a political turn when Singh, affiliated to the state’s ruling party BJP, accused Gurjar of acting out of political vendetta, allegedly influenced by Congress politicians. Local representatives raised the matter with deputy chief minister Dr Prem Chand Bairwa — who was on a visit to Bhilwara Tuesday evening — claiming Gurjar’s actions were aimed at defaming the state govt.In a swift administrative action that has raised eyebrows, Bhilwara collector Jasmeet Singh Sandhu demoted Gurjar to the position of a tehsildar and transferred her to Mandal Tuesday night — barely 24 hours after she took charge as SDM.Gurjar, who expressed disappointment over the lack of administrative support for her action, maintained that she was merely performing her official duty. She had filed an FIR against Singh and the tractor driver at Paroli police station Tuesday morning.The district collector has ordered an investigation by the mining department to determine whether the tractor contained river sand or soil, with the inspection scheduled for Thursday. Collector Sandhu also laid emphasis on field officers “exercising patience and politeness while performing their duties”.
