Hoshiarpur, Oct. 15 -- Following directions by the Punjab and Haryana high court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated formal investigation into alleged illegal mining activities in Talwara and Mukerian region of Hoshiarpur district. A CBI team arrived in Alera village in Talwara block on Wednesday and inspected a stone crushing site where large-scale excavation had been reported. Except for a watchman, no staff member of the crushing unit was present when the team arrived there.

Rahul Manchanda, the complainant who filed the writ in the high court demanding an investigation into illegal mining, accompanied the probe team. Meanwhile, the media was barred from approaching the inspection site. Sources claimed the stone c...