A 53-year-old man was caught by Pernambut police near Gudiyatham town in Vellore for illegal sand mining from dry parts of the Palar river. The arrested man is K. Pichandi, a farmer from Pernambut. Police alerted a special team to patrol Pandaravadai Koot Road near Gudiyatham. They spotted Pichandi and N. Sekar carrying river sand on a bullock cart owned by Sekar. When police approached, Sekar escaped, but Pichandi was arrested. A case has been registered by Pernambut police. The seized river sand was intended for local sale to private builders. Pichandi is now in Vellore Central Prison. Investigations are ongoing.