Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh): A police officer was run over by a tractor carrying illegally mined sand in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol, nearly 500 km away from the capital Bhopal, on Saturday evening, media reports said.

Assistant Sub Inspector in Shahdol Mahendra Bagri had gone to the location with two constables Prasad Kanoji and Sanjay Dubey to investigate illegal mining in the vicinity, reported NDTV.

He was run over while attempting to stop the speeding vehicle loaded with sand.

Mahendra Bagri succumbed to his injuries on site, while Kanoji and Dubey narrowly avoided harm and escaped unscathed, said the report.

Officials said the driver and truck owner's son have been arrested, while the owner of the tractor is on the run.

"The driver of the tractor has been arrested and an inquiry is on. In the inquiry, it was revealed that the son of the owner of the tractor was also involved in it. He has also been arrested, " DC Sagar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Shahdol was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Police have declared a reward of Rs 30,000 for any information leading to the identification of Surendra Singh, the owner of the truck.

Officials stated that a case has been filed against the driver, as well as the father-son duo involved in the sand mafia, Ashutosh Singh and Surendra Singh, according to the report.

Illegal sand mining is widespread in Madhya Pradesh where numerous dumpers transport sand from the Son River banks.

Last November, a Revenue Department official Prasann Singh was crushed by a tractor allegedly linked to the sand mafia in Shahdol.

Singh lost his life while attempting to intercept a truck carrying illegally extracted sand near the Son River.