Gunfire Targets Coal Companies in Jharkhand Amid Rising Crime
Criminal activity is on the rise in Jharkhands coal sector, with multiple attacks reported on companies and their employees.
Ranchi, November 12 (Daily Kiran) : In Jharkhand’s coal-rich region, businesses linked to coal mining and transportation are facing a surge in violent crime. Reports indicate that gunfire is increasingly targeting these companies, with incidents occurring at outsourcing firms and against security personnel and coal traders.
Over the past four months, nearly a dozen such incidents have been recorded in Chhatra, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, and Ranchi. The ongoing violence appears to be rooted in extortion and turf wars aimed at intimidating industrial establishments. The latest incident took place in the Hohne village of the Tandwa police station area, where three assailants on motorcycles opened fire on the AVS Coal Transporting Company’s office late Wednesday night.
The company reported that between 10 to 12 rounds were fired. However, Superintendent of Police Animesh Naithani confirmed that only two to three rounds were fired during the initial investigation. Shell casings have been recovered from the scene, which is located near the Amrapali coal project’s project office and a CISF camp.
A letter allegedly from the Rahul Dubey gang, circulated on social media, claimed responsibility for the shooting and threatened individuals associated with the company. Police are currently verifying the authenticity of this letter. Earlier, on October 26-27, gunfire erupted at the gate of a security outsourcing company in the Urimari coal area, resulting in serious injuries to security guard Vivek Kumar Ojha.
Seven shell casings were found at that site, along with a note linked to the Rahul Dubey gang. In early November, Hazaribagh police apprehended Anshu Dubey, a suspect connected to this case, following an encounter. In late October, gunmen on motorcycles fired at the residence of coal trader Sanjay Karamali in the Kanke police area of Ranchi, just one night after a shooting incident outside the AK International Hotel, operated by coal trader Abhay in Hazaribagh.
Authorities have arrested five individuals in connection with the shootings in Ranchi and Hazaribagh, one of whom was injured in police return fire. On October 24, five suspects were also arrested in the Keredari coal area of Hazaribagh for allegedly plotting to extort money from companies through gunfire. Earlier, on August 23, four masked assailants fired approximately eight rounds at the office of Sushie Infra Company at the Chandragupt coal project in Tandwa, a shooting that was also claimed by the Rahul Dubey gang.
These incidents reveal a troubling pattern, with company offices, gates, security personnel, and traders’ homes being targeted. Threatening letters and social media messages suggest pressure tactics for extortion, though the gang’s involvement and demands have not been officially confirmed in every case.
Ongoing investigations by police are examining these aspects. The continuous gunfire has created a climate of insecurity among employees and traders associated with coal mining and transportation. The pressing question remains: how are criminals able to carry out these attacks despite the presence of security measures and police oversight around coal projects?
