"A task force headed by Additional Superintendent of Police S Karthik sealed eight pits from where coal was dug illegally and sold in the market by tractors and bi-cycles," Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj told PTI here.
The task force was set up following large scale pilferage of coal in the dense forests under Barkagaon and Keredari police stations of Hazaribagh district, he said. Both Keredari and Barkagaon coal blocks were allotted to the NTPC Coal Mining Project to meet power requirement in the country, he said.
Ten tonne of illegally mined coal were seized, the ASP said, adding the operation would continue for three more days. A huge stock of coal was found in Keredari coal area in a similar operation in March.
Deputy Commissioner Manish Ranjan said he had instructed the forest department and district mining officer to contain illegal mining with police assistance. PTI COR PVR AMD