On getting information about illegal stone quarrying and dolomite mining, trainee IAS officer Mayank Chaturvedi who is posted in Raigarh as assistant collector, deputy director (mining) S S Nag and a mining inspector left for Sarangarh area, he said.
On spotting illegal mining underway in Timarlaga, they stopped for investigation, the additional SP said.
Amrit Patel, whose men were carrying out mining, reached there and allegedly tried to stop the officials from taking any action.
He called up his aides, and when the officials were about to leave, on Patel's direction the driver of a JCB machine tried to mow down Chaturvedi's car, he said.
The officer escaped narrowly, but Patel then allegedly assaulted him and Chaturvedi suffered minor injuries, Verma said. Afterwards Patel and his aides fled.
Ten trucks, two JCB machines, four motorcycles, 300 tons of limestone and explosive materials were seized from the spot.
A case was registered against Patel and others under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation), and efforts were on to nab them, Verma said.