Coal consignment from Arunachal Pradesh seized, 3 held in Margherita

Our Correspondent

DIGBOI: Margherita Police led by SDPO Puna Gogoi intercepted two coal-laden trucks (AS25 AC 1476 and AS01 JC 5545) here at Margherita on Monday morning.

"Following an input regarding the transportation of illegally procured coal consignment from Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh, the OC Margherita, Utpal Borah and his team, after night-long patrolling, finally arrested three accused involved in the act," said the SDPO.

According to police, the arrested accused were identified as Ananta Deori of Majuli and Lalit Gogoi of Sivsagar, both being the drivers, along with Bedabrata Dutta, the transporter of the consignment.

"A local coal trader of Kakopather hired my vehicles for transporting sawn timber from Miao but later coal was loaded in the vehicles and some youths escorted the vehicles till Margherita where the vehicles were intercepted," said Bedabrata Dutta to media persons.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the SDPO Margherita said that no valid documents to this effect could be produced by the party, adding that it was a case of smuggling. However, it remains to be understood how the illegal consignment sneaked through several police check gates and passages till Margherita.

Mining of coal and trading of it is yet to be legally permitted here in Margherita and nearby Arunachal's Kharsang area. However, barring Margherita and Kharsang, mining activities were being reported recently in few inaccessible hilly terrains of Miao area.

A case 303/20 was registered and prosecuted u/s 379, r/w 3 PDPP Act. Investigation was on till filing of the report. "The exact locations and the parties involved in trading will soon be ascertained," assured the SDPO.

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