GUWAHATI, Jan 8: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has accused the state government of attempting to cover up the Umrongso coal mine tragedy by targeting minor players instead of dismantling an alleged coal smuggling syndicate operating under political and administrative patronage.

Police arrested Punish Nunisa, the mine’s alleged owner and cousin of Konika Hojaia, wife of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council (DHAC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Debolal Gorlosa, on Tuesday for illegally operating the mining site. An FIR under Umrangso PS Case No. 02/2025 has been filed under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.

In a strongly worded statement, AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi and General Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan accused the government of using diversionary tactics to protect those responsible for illegal coal mining in Dima Hasao district.

“The arrest of a proxy culprit is a blatant attempt to mislead the public and conceal the nexus of corruption surrounding the coal smuggling racket. This racket has flourished in Assam for years with active collusion from politicians and bureaucrats,” the AJP leaders stated.

They further alleged that major cement companies—including Dalmia Cement, Vinay Cement, Topcem Cement, and Star Cement—are involved in illegal mining operations and demanded scrutiny of these entities.

The AJP also highlighted that rat-hole coal mining, banned by the Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), continues unabated in districts like Tinsukia, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao. They claimed coal is being transported illegally on Assam’s highways, showcasing a systemic disregard for the law.

The party has called for a high-level judicial probe to expose the scandal and demanded the immediate arrest of officials, including the District Commissioner (DC), Superintendent of Police (SP), Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), and Managing Director of Assam Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (AMDCL), Natarajan Anand, IFS.

According to the AJP, Anand has allegedly issued illegal transport challans for coal from Tinsukia, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao districts over the past three years, enabling the sale of millions of tons of coal to leading companies.

Photographic and video evidence from Umrongso reportedly confirms ongoing rat-hole mining in defiance of Supreme Court and NGT directives. The AJP leaders accused the authorities of arresting a relative of Debolal Garlosa as a scapegoat to deflect attention from the deeper systemic collusion.

“This level of large-scale illegal coal mining and defiance of Supreme Court orders could not occur without the knowledge and tacit approval of the government,” the AJP leaders asserted.

The AJP also held Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accountable for failing to take decisive action. “If the Chief Minister is unaware of these illegal activities, why hasn’t he ordered the arrest of district officials and AMDCL’s director? His inaction reinforces the belief that the government is complicit in the illegal coal mining syndicate,” they added.

The party warned that unless immediate action is taken to dismantle the coal smuggling network and hold those responsible accountable, public trust in the government’s integrity and commitment to the rule of law will continue to erode.

Also Read: HSPDP releases second list of candidates for Khasi, Jaintia council polls

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub