In the wake of rampant smuggling of coal from the Ib Valley Coalfield by organised mafias, the Jharsuguda police have launched a drive to nab the culprits behind the thefts which cost the State Government and the MCl in terms of revenue. On Thursday, the police raided and arrested two persons Prasad Sarda alias Munna of Jharsuguda and Khirmohan Mishra alias litti
of Brajrajnagar for their involvement in illegal transportation of coal. Police suspected that they smuggled 20 to 30 truck-loads of coal daily to local industries from five opencast mines in the Ib Valley Coalfield area of the Mahanadi Coalfields ltd (MCl) for last one decade.
Senior police officials of the district including the SDPOs of Jharsuguda and Brajrajnagar have interrogated these smugglers to find out others’ involvements.
Earlier, the Jharsuguda police had caught two coal mafias Manbodh Bhainsal and Gopal Hota red-handed when they were transporting coal to some industrial houses in the vicinity. However, the police are on lookout for four more persons for their involvement in the racket. On September 19, the Orient and Badmal police had arrested four persons, including truck owners and drivers, and seized two trucks when coal was about to be smuggled out.
When asked, Jharsuguda SP Umashankar Dash said that two middlemen in the illegal trade have already been caught and the kingpin of the smuggling racket would shortly be arrested.
On Friday, police forwarded Munna and litti to judicial custody.