Gunfire Erupts at CCL Mines in Ranchi, Injuring Employee
Click to start listening
Synopsis
In Ranchi, armed assailants fired at the CCL mines, injuring a worker. The incident raises concerns about security in the area, linked to extortion tactics by militant groups. Law enforcement is under pressure to improve safety amid rising criminal activities targeting coal transport.
Key Takeaways
- Armed attackers fired at CCL mines in Ranchi.
- One worker, Pradeep Sao, injured and hospitalized.
- Assailants reportedly linked to Tritiya Prastuti Committee.
- Incident raises serious security concerns in coal-rich regions.
- Escalating criminal activities targeting local businesses.
Ranchi, Feb 10 (NationPress) Gunmen unleashed a flurry of bullets near the primary entrance of the Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) mines in Churi, falling under the jurisdiction of the Khalari police station, on Monday afternoon, sparking fears among workers and local residents.
The assault resulted in injuries to a CCL staff member, Pradeep Sao, who was struck in the leg by a bullet. He was promptly transported to a Ranchi hospital, where his condition is reportedly stable and he is out of immediate danger.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the attackers arrived on three motorcycles, discharging between eight to ten rounds in the vicinity of the Churi project’s main entrance. The unexpected gunfire caused widespread panic, with individuals scrambling for safety.
Sources reveal that as Pradeep Sao was departing for home post his shift, the assailants confronted him, interrogated him, and subsequently shot him in the leg before escaping. The incident unfolded near a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) camp, raising alarms regarding security in the Coalfield area.
Initial investigations suggest a possible connection to the outlawed militant group Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC). Authorities believe the shooting was aimed at instilling fear and facilitating illegal levy collection, a frequent strategy employed by extremist factions to extort money from enterprises operating in coal-rich territories.
In the aftermath of the shooting, local police forces arrived, and subsequently, Khalari DSP Ram Narayan Choudhary, along with the CISF Deputy Commandant and other senior law enforcement officials, visited the site to evaluate the situation.
This incident has intensified concerns in the Khalari Coalfield region, where criminal activities aimed at coal transport and construction companies have been escalating. In December, armed assailants set ablaze three coal transport trucks in the same vicinity and fired shots to create terror.
Despite officials’ promises to enhance law enforcement, violent episodes targeting businesses persist. In the last four months alone, there have been at least seven similar attacks reported across Jharkhand, indicating a burgeoning network of extortion groups operating within the state.
Law enforcement agencies now face mounting pressure to combat these activities and ensure the safety of employees and businesses in the area.
