SHILLONG, Nov 8 - An NGO leader from Jaintia Hills has accused of a nexus between police and coal mafia and said that he escaped with his life after filing a police complaint about illegal coal mining and transportation in the district.
Filing an FIR at the Inspector General of Police�s office here this evening after �escaping from Jaintia Hills,� chairman of North East Indigenous People�s Federation, Marshall Biam said that he was assaulted by a group of men for filing a police complaint against illegal transportation of coal in nexus with a police official.
He said that he filed the FIR against Khliehriat police station officials on November 1 for allowing the illegal coal mining to go on after getting their share.
He claimed in the FIR that Khliehriat police take around Rs 5,000 per truck as bribe to let the trucks to cross over from East Jaintia Hills from the illegal coal mines at nights.
After the police complaint, Biam was abducted and then assaulted inside the police station and threatened with dire consequences if he didn�t withdraw the police complaint. Incidentally, he was also coerced in presence of the police to withdraw the complaint. The police remained a mute spectator all the while during these ordeals, he claimed.
�I was assaulted inside the Lad Rymbai police station and asked to withdraw the complaint. Out of fear for my life and safety I withdrew the complaint as directed,� Biam said after filing his FIR to the Deputy IGP, Eastern Range.
