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Assam Govt asks Meghalaya to step up security of coal miners

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Press Trust of India Guwahati
Assam Government today called for stepped-up security measures in the wake of the killing of eight coal mine labourers from the state in a remote mining village in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills.

Home Secretary G D Tripathi said the Assam government has taken up the matter seriously with its Meghalaya counterpart and asked it to beef up security so that no further untoward incident takes place.

"We have condemned the incident in the strongest possible terms and asked the government of Meghalaya to strengthen security in the area where the unfortunate incident occurred last night," he said.

He further said that all the eight bodies have been recovered and post mortem was being conducted at Williamnagar in Meghalaya.
 

"After the autopsy, all the bodies will be taken to their respective places," said the Home Secretary, who is closely monitoring the situation and keeping Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who is in Delhi, abreast of the latest developments.

Of the eight coal mine labourers, seven hailed from Goalpara and one from Bilasipara, official sources said.

Three labourers were also injured in the attack by miscreants on their camps last night, triggering an exodus.

The miscreants armed with sharp weapons attacked the the labourers sleeping in their camps at Garrittim village, about 50 km from district headquarters Williamnagar.

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First Published: Jun 24 2013 | 9:40 PM IST

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