Tinsukia: Members of Moran Students’ Union and All Tai Ahom Students’ Union in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Wednesday asked the district administration to clarify whether a 23-year-old youth, who went missing in a coal mine belt around a month back, is dead or alive.
Pranjal Moran, a resident of Makum Hukari Gaon, had left his home in the first week of January 2023 to work at a coal mine in the Margherita sub-division. He last contacted his family on January 12 to inform them that he would be back home in the next two days. However, he has not been heard from since.
The president of the All Moran Students’ Union, Naba Moran, addressed a press conference in Tinsukia, expressing concern over Pranjal’s fate.
He stated that despite a police complaint filed by the youth’s wife on February 2, after learning that her husband could be dead at Ledo 6 number – a coal mine belt under Margherita police station, the district administration has not yet clarified whether he is alive or dead.
In the first week of February 2023, Urbashi Moran (Pranjal’s wife) filed a complaint in which she provided mobile numbers to the police through which she was informed about the death of her husband. In the complaint, she mentioned that her husband had called her on January 12 from a co-worker’s phone to inform her that he would return home on January 14. This was the last contact that Pranjal made with the family.
A copy of the complaint has been accessed by this correspondent.
All Moran Student’s Union chief, while addressing reporters, issued an ultimatum to the administration stating that Pranjal’s dead body should be retrieved within 24 hours and handed over to his family for performing the necessary rituals.
He further added that in their community, it is customary to perform rituals after the death of a person, and the family is currently unable to do so. “This is causing immense grief and unrest as they are unable to perform the last rites and rituals according to tradition, which are essential for the peace of the departed soul,” he said.
Moran mentioned that the family had filed a police complaint on February 2, but it was registered four days later. Despite the complaint, there have been no proactive steps taken by the administration and the police to recover the body of Pranjal.
It’s worth noting that in September of last year, three coal miners lost their lives after allegedly inhaling poisonous gas inside a rat-hole mine at Ledo in the Tinsukia district. Rat-hole mines are illegal small tunnels that are usually not more than 3-4 feet high, through which workers, often children, enter to extract coal.
The sub-divisional officer of Margherita sub-division, Preeti Kumari, rejected the charges made by Moran and stated that the administration and police have launched search and retrieval operations. However, they are yet to find the body of Pranjal.
She further added that the police have been digging the area where the body is suspected to be buried, but have had no success as of now.
Kumari explained that the area where Pranjal is suspected to be located is a difficult terrain, and it is too risky to conduct searches in rat-hole mines.
When asked about the confirmation of the youth’s death, Kumari responded by stating that until the body is recovered, they cannot confirm his death. “Based on the information revealed during the investigation, they suspect that he has died, and all efforts are being made to retrieve his body,” Kumari said.
Kumari also revealed that they are in the process of constituting a task force, where a magistrate from their end will be deployed along with police and transport officials to conduct surprise raids and checks.
Kumari also mentioned that they have taken steps to curb illegal coal mining in the area. “I had issued an order under Section 144 to restrict any kind of mining, and movement of excavators, dumpers, and other heavy vehicles inside the forest. I also wrote to Coal India to conduct joint raids with the police to destroy illegal rat-hole mines and issued notices to all coal deposits in her jurisdiction to submit documents and necessary certificates to operate a coal depot,” she added.
It has been reported that in the past few months, there have been instances of rampant illegal coal mining, stocking, and transportation in the Tinsukia district. As per rules, coal deposits have a limit for stocking coal, but it appears that some parties have been violating these rules.
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Sources have alleged that certain officials from concerned authorities have colluded with others, resulting in an increase in illegal coal mining once again in the region. This activity is causing damage to the reserve forests in the area.
According to reports, the police have detained several persons in connection with the case of Pranjal Moran. Based on revelations during interrogation, they are conducting a search operation but are currently clueless.
Meanwhile, attempts to speak to the sub-divisional police officer of Margherita went in vain.
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