VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribagh, April 13: Smugglers attacked the forest department team which went to raid in Charhi area on Monday night. While the women involved in smuggling threw chilli powder in the eyes of the officials, the male smugglers escaped with half a dozen vehicles laden with coal.
Coal smuggling is happening day and night in Hazaribagh with the police not taking any action in this regard. The notoriety of the miscreants has increased so much that they did not hesitate to attack even the raiding party. In the darkness of the night, Indra became a battlefield for about half an hour.
The incident took place around 9 to 10 pm. In this attack, Ramgarh DFO Nitesh Kumar and Mandu Ranger had a miraculous escape. The driver of DFO suffered a severe burning sensation in his eyes due to chilli powder. During this, half a dozen forest department personnel were injured. Mandu Ranger’s car JH 01 CK 3132 was damaged in stone pelting by smugglers.
Seeing the coal smugglers dominating, the Forest Department team had to run away from the spot. Somehow the officials reached the NH after saving their lives and informed the police and senior officials. After about half an hour, Charhi Police and additional personnel of the forest department reached the spot and handled the matter.
During this, the smugglers fled from the spot. About 10 tonnes of illegal coal has been seized from the spot. In this regard, an FIR was lodged against 100 including coal smugglers Kiran Devi, Wasim Ansari and Jashim Ansari in Charhi. In the investigation, it has come to light that the henchmen of Kiran Devi and Wasim Ansari had attacked the team. According to sources, Kiran, the woman smuggler is famous from Kuju to Barhi by the name of Kiran Didi involved in the illegal business of coal.
Sources said police and mining department are hands in gloves in taking action against illegal coal business. On the information of coal smuggling in Charhi on a large scale, Ramgarh DFO Nitesh Kumar, Mandu and Kuju Ranger officers along with other officials with the team force had come to raid Indra. The Forest Department team, which arrived in about five vehicles, had initially taken half a dozen people involved in smuggling into their custody and also seized several vehicles. But soon smugglers reached there in large numbers and surrounded the team. During this, indiscriminate stone pelting started. People who were armed with sticks started damaging official vehicles.
During this, women started throwing chilli powder targeting the DFO who came to the rescue. On information, CO Shashi Bhushan Singh, Sani Surendra Kumar of Charhi police station, and Baijnath Mehta team reached there. Officials said raids are going on to nab the culprits.
