Latehar cops seize 399 tonnes of illegal coal

Daltonganj: Three police stations in Latehar district - Balumath, Herhunj, and Latehar - have intensified their drive against illegal coal mining and its unauthorized transportation.
The heightened police vigilance has created palpable fear among illegal transporters, leading to reckless driving and exploration of alternative routes. Despite these measures, coal theft continues unabated, according to sources. A recent incident at Rewat Kala under Manika police station highlights the transporters' desperation. A coal-laden lorry, speeding to evade police interception on an empty road, crashed into a residential area, resulting in the driver's death.
Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav reported significant progress in the crackdown, citing multiple FIRs and substantial coal seizures. "We have registered six FIRs and seized 399 MT of illegal coal across the district," he stated.
In the past two months, 15 illegal transporters have been booked: three in Balumath, six each in Herhunj and Latehar. The illegal coal trade primarily supplies both legal and illegal brick kilns in the district.
Sources reveal that politicians and contractors, who publicly denounce coal theft, are involved in supporting these illegal operations.