Jharkhand Coal Crisis: Truckers Strike Amid Police Extortion Allegations

The strike, which began on November 12, has brought coal movement to a standstill, causing substantial daily revenue losses to CCL and the state exchequer.

Officials warn that if the deadlock persists, several NTPC-run thermal power plants could face imminent fuel shortages.

Transporters allege that police personnel stationed along the Tandwa-Simaria road, particularly in the Khadhaiya area, demand between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 from each truck.

According to truck owners, the Tandwa police station in charge stops vehicles at night and extorts money by levelling fabricated charges such as defective headlights, overheated engines, torn tarpaulins, or non-functional speed meters.

CCL’s Chatra belt typically transports nearly 60,000 tonnes of coal daily. Key supply points include Chatti Bariatu mine in Keredari, Amrapali, Katkamsandi, KD Mines (Pandu), Tori, Dakra, RCR, and Magadh -- together accounting for thousands of tonnes of coal movement every day.

With operations now halted, transporters say the disruption has choked the entire supply chain.

On Sunday, striking transporters held a meeting at Chundru Dham ground in Keredari, where they reiterated their grievances and expressed fear of being “harassed with baseless fines and cases.”

They resolved to escalate the matter by submitting a memorandum directly to the Chief Minister, seeking immediate intervention.

The issue triggered political reactions on Monday, with Jharkhand’s Leader of the Opposition and BJP state president Babulal Marandi launching a scathing attack on the government.

He alleged that a portion of the money extorted by the police ultimately “reaches those at the top of power,” adding that the situation shows how “people in the state are suffering more from extortion by men in uniform than from criminals.”

- IANS