Image for representational purpose only.
TALCHER: In major crackdown, Talcher Town police raided different places and seized huge quantity of smuggled coal.
During the raids, which started on Friday night, police seized more than 200 tonnes of coal illegally stocked at old Jubbraj High School, Chauliakata, Kadalibandha and Talabeda Sahar Sahi besides other places outside the coal mine. The coal was smuggled from the mines and stocked before being lifted to various destinations in the State.
Inspector in-charge of Talcher Town police station, Souvagya Swain, said the seized coal was to be smuggled to various destinations. However, no case has been registered so far as investigation is on. The seized coal was handed over to mining authorities.
Tonnes of coal extracted from the mines are kept in the open leaving enough scope for theft by smugglers, allegedly in connivance with some insiders. The huge seizure from a small area is an indication that theft from mines at Talcher continues unabated. Unorganised smuggling from Talcher has become a regular affair with an estimated hundred illegal truck loads going out of Talcher everyday.
The recent seizure of a coal stock yard at Dhenkanal, where most of the pilfered coal from Talcher were being unloaded, is an indication of unorganised smuggling.
Police also seized four trucks of smuggled coal and arrested four persons in this connection.
With the theft assuming alarming proportions and situation turning worse, CMD of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited Anil Kumar Jha met the Home Secretary three months ago and urged him to take measures to stop the theft which affect the revenue of the State as well as the nation.
Angul SP Brijesh Ray said he had directed all police stations to conduct such raids to put a curb on coal theft.
