Police launched an anti-coal smuggling operation in the Maoist–prone Kalipahari area on Monday around 2 am and seized four tractors loaded with illegal coal. Smugglers usually move with smuggled coals to meet the requirement of brick kiln owners in the Nawadih area of Bokaro during midninght mainly avoid the attention of police almost at regular intervals, fetching good revenue, said SDPO (Bermo) Raj Kumar Mehta .
Bokaro SP, YS Ramesh said, Illegal mining activities of coal smugglers in the forest have also been busted. The intension of the police was to break the financial backbone of the Maoists apart from curbing illegal trade of coals. Illegal coal mining in these forests is a major revenue generation point for Maoists. The SP said his intension was to organise raids and vehicle checks moving on various NHs passing through the district to give a clear message to all OCs of police stations that he would tolerate any laxity on the part of police to help the coal smugglers and allow them to flourish, he further said.
SDPO, Raj Kumar Mehta said a team of Gandhi Nagar, Pannak-Narayanpur police personnel including me raided the Kalipahari area near Bhairo temple and found four tractors carrying with illegal coal from illegal mines.
The police team, on reaching the spot, found huge stocks of coal dumped in front of the illegal mines which were loaded on to four tractors. The drivers and coal smugglers sensing trouble had fled from the site when the police arrived. As many as four tractors with more than 15 tonnes of coal were seized. A case has been registered at Gandhi Nagar police station against duo, who has been missing on the spot.