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TINSUKIA: The Margherita Police have registered a suo moto case against David Hakhun alias David Nagaa, resident of Malou Pahar in connection with death of 3 coal miners on Sunday night that happened due to toxic gas explosion in coal seam who were among many engaged by David in illegal rat-hole coal mining at Malou hill in Tirap Tribal Belt under Ledo Out Post. He has been booked in case no 251/2022 u/s 120(B)/302/201/379 IPC &R/W Sec 3 of PDPP Act.
Though involvement of Hakhun in age-old rat hole mining was an established fact, the police failed to act against him in absence of any proof. The police could register a case against him only after recovery of dead bodies on Monday evening, said Debojit Deori, Superintendent of Police Tinsukia adding that this was for the first time that a case has been registered against suspected NSCN linkman.
He further informed that 8 other persons apprehended in this connection for investigation were assumed to provide further lead into illegal coal mining while police have launched massive hunt to trace Hakhun on either side of NSCN infested Assam-Arunachal border, said Deori.
The area falls within the demarcated areas of Tirap RF under Digboi Forest Division and outside coal mining leased areas of Coal India Limited. The post-mortem examinations of the deceased have been performed at Tinsukia.
Meanwhile, the central committee of International Human Rights Council has directed itsTinsukia district committee to submit a detailed report on issues like-the cause of death of three coal miners and fixing responsibility; whether the administration was aware of illegal mining, if known why the administration did not take steps for eviction etc and to forward the report within 10 days to be submitted to the central government. The committee is also advised to utilise drone technology if required, stated in a press release issued its secretary L Ratan Singh.
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