<h1>Illegal mining protection by officials alleged, prompting EOW arrest of a local leader and calls for investigation.</h1> A state youth leader was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing in a suspected illegal mining and transport scheme; a senior legislator alleged the district collector and superintendent of police provided protection, received shares of illicit proceeds, and enabled sustained illegal extraction and transport. The legislator said he submitted a confidential report to the Chief Minister's Office before elections. The accused was produced before an OPID court and remanded to judicial custody; the named IAS and IPS officers have not responded and political responses remain muted.