Hazaribagh, Jan. 6: The coal mafia has reportedly joined hands with MCC rebels to smuggle coal in Hazaribagh and its adjoining areas.

Sources said the mafia had changed its tactics to counter the moves of the Hazaribagh police which has succeeded in checking smuggling of coal to some extent.

After Niraj Sinha took charge as superintendent of police, he conducted a series of raids.

Several smugglers were arrested and over 200 metric tons of coal seized.

Sources said the mafias approached the zonal heads of the MCC in central and western Jharkhand and sought their co-operation to carry on smuggling operations.

The rebels were promised a hike in levy rates if they helped in the illegal transportation of coal to other states.

The extremists agreed because a large part of their income is dependent on smuggling.

They sent Ansari, a known figure in the smuggling world, to act as a middle man between the extremists, smugglers and the police, sources said.

They said the smugglers used the Ramgarh-Kuju-Hazaribagh-Ichak-Barhi route to smuggle coal to Uttar Pradesh. But after the crackdown on their activities, it was decided that the smuggled coal will be deposited at Jhumra, Lugu, and Ramgarh Happu valleys, which are under the control of the rebels and where even policemen fear to tread.

According to the new plan, coal will be transported through Chitarpur, Gola, Muri, Kothiatand, Simra, Noniabeda, Irak, Buttakhab, Painky, Pochara, Painky Nala to Ranchi, where it will be kept and later transferred to other places.

Sources said the rebels have convinced brick kiln owners to buy coal from them.

Two senior leaders of the MCC Ramesh Mehto and Neema Mehto alias Nima Singh are allegedly providing security cover to the trucks carrying coal.

According to police records, Mehto had burnt seven trucks belonging to Ramchander Rungta, a coal trader, who had refused to money to the rebels three years ago. Singh has 11 cases pending against him.