Illegal transportation of coal takes place in Giridih railway station. Picture by Shahnawaz Akhtar

Giridih, May 18: The recent crack on illegal coal transaction in the district has shifted the base to station and trains which have become a hub of the mafia.

Since Murari Lal Meena joined as the superintendent of police, he put a curb on the production and illegal transaction of coals in the district. So far, cases related to illegal coal were lodged against more than 48 people across the district.

Several illegal mines have also been closed by the police as well as by the officials of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) here.

But one place, the Giridih railway station, is still the centre of illegal transaction of black diamond. The Giridih-Madhupur passenger train is being used comfortably by the coal mafia to take away the mineral from the district to neighbouring places (picture on left).

The Giridih-Madhupur passenger train runs five times a day except on Sundays and Thursdays when it ply between the stations four times.

The district police have checked illegal transaction of coal in all possible ways but it could not curb the illegal business on trains and at stations as it comes directly under the jurisdiction of GRP.

In fact, the passengers are crying foul as sacks full of coal are loaded on almost every coach of the train. Ironically, all these are taking place in the presence of GRP. “The GRP personnel take money from the coal mafia and help them load coal on the coaches of the particular train,” alleged Vinod, a daily passenger.

“We have also complained to the higher officials of GRP but all gone in vain,” he adds. Some renovation work is also going on at Giridih railway station but passengers fear that the illegal transaction of coal would soon destroy the beauty of the station.

The officer in charge of GRP at Giridih railway station, Umesh Prasad, denied the coal transaction on trains and said: “I have no idea that coal is being moved in such a way on the station premises and trains were used.”

Meena told The Telegraph: “Soon, I will visit the station and see how railway is being used to carry coal. I would also see how GRP denies it and did not stop it.”