Following reports of free movement of coal-laden trucks in Assam despite NGT’s blanket ban on rat-hole mining, a CID team on a tip-off seized 11 coal-laden trucks at Khanapara in Guwahati on Saturday night.
Sleuths of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police seized the coal-laden trucks after the driver and handymen of the trucks failed to produce any document.
According to information, the trucks were seized at Koinadhara in Guwahati’s Khanapara area.
Out of the 11 trucks, three trucks have been kept under safe custody of the Basistha Police Station while the remaining 8 other trucks have been brought to the CID campus in Guwahati on Sunday.
The CID also apprehended the drivers and handymen of the respective trucks.
Also read: Father-daughter killed, 3 hurt as coal-laden truck falls on car in Guwahati
It may be mentioned that despite National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on rat-hole mining in 2014, it has been reported that illegal mining still continues in different parts of Northeast.
Operations are still going on to rescue 15 trapped miners in a coal mine site in East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.
On Sunday, another coal mine tragedy has been reported in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya where bodies of two coal labourers were recovered by police.
Also read: Illegal coal mining in Meghalaya has political backing: Report
According to media reports, the CID carried out the operation in connection with a CID PS case (No. 06/2018).
Interestingly, two of the seized coal-laden trucks are registered in Rajasthan.
The registration numbers of the trucks from Rajasthan are RJ 06-GA-2191 and RJ 52-GA-2963.
Recently, a man and his daughter died recently while three others were injured when a coal-laden truck fell on the vehicle they were travelling in Khanapara of Guwahati.