Coal production resumes in New Birsa mine under Barka Sayal

Coal production in New Birsa mine under Barka-Sayal area of Central Coal Fields Limited (CCL) in Ramgarh district has resumed today amidst tight security arrangement, a CCL official said today.

Coal production as well as coal transportation by road was stopped in support of the demand for adequate security in the work place by the outsource BGR company after unidentified gunman had shot dead its project head, Muthukuru Malikarjun on July 12, the official said.

General Manager (GM) Barkakana area of CCL, Ajay Singh said that management had requested the administration for security in New Birsa mine in the wake of the killing of Malikarjun following which administration deployed adequate number of security forces in the mine, paving way for resumption of production in the mine since yesterday.

Hyderabad-based BGR Company started mining activity in the mine following the deployment of additional security forces, said the senior CCL officer.

Earlier Pankaj Kamboj, Deputy Inspector General of Police (North Chhotanagpur Division), has assured CCL authorities that additional security forces would be deployed during his visit to mine and the place of occurrence after the incident.

On July 12, 36-year-old Malikarjun, a native of Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, was shot dead by unidentified persons at his residence which triggered fear among the officials and workers of the BGR company affecting production in the mine since July 12, they said.