SHILLONG: With the ban on rat hole mining, cases of kidnapping allegedly by jobless coal labourers have surfaced.
In one such case, on May 29, one Ajit Sinha lodged a complaint at Mawkyrwat police station that three coal labourers identified as Sohit Ali, Md. Ashab Ali and Faruk Ali kidnapped his wife Sumi Sinha from Kulang in South West Khasi Hills and demanded Rs. 50,000 as ransom for her release.
It was reported that the kidnapped victim was being kept in the residence of one of the accused in Sunamganj district in Bangladesh.
There are many coal labourers from Bangladesh and Nepal employed in coal mines in the State, but with the ban on rat-hole mining, majority of them have gone back to their native places.
Police are making efforts to locate the victim and the accused persons.
It was learnt that the police may also seek the help of BSF to track the kidnappers and the victim.