Indian Environmental activist assaulted by coal mafia

Environmental and social activist, Agnes Kharshiing fighting to safeguard environment and was probing illegal coal mining in the state of Meghalaya was brutally assaulted by the coal mafia

On the 8th November afternoon, 30-40 miscreants attacked Civil Society Women’s Organization’s Agnes Kharshiing and her associate Amita Sangma were assaulted with stones and sticks when they went to investigate transportation of illegally mined coal in Tuber Sohshrieh in East Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.

“We left Shillong in the morning and we went straight to Ladrymbai Police Outpost where we had tea with some police personnel,” driver Emiki Kurbah ferrying the duo said.

The attack on Kharshiing was the second in the state after the murder of Poipynhun Majaw, another activist in March. Kurbah informed that while returning from Ladrymbai to Shillong, Kharshiing spotted some trucks loading coal illegally despite the NGT ban and started taking pictures along the way from Ladrymbai till Kongong.

“On reaching Tuber Sohshrieh, she spotted two more trucks loading coal about 100 m away from the national highway and she asked me to divert and she took some pictures and came back to the vehicle. We returned and just before the National Highway, I saw some vehicles block our way and around 30 to 40 people had already assembled there,” Kurbah informed.

He said that he pulled over the vehicle and a lady came directly to him and snatched the car key while some men threatened to burn down the vehicle.
However, the driver who was dragged into a vehicle and later dropped him to his vehicle.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Marshillong told that the SP EJH received information about the incident and immediately two teams of police personnel were directed to locate and rescued them.

“We tried to locate the spot but on reaching Tuber Sohshrieh we saw a lady waving her hand to stop some vehicles for help and we stopped and located both of them. We rushed them to Jowai District Civil Hospital. We found Agnes was lying unconscious with heavy bleeding from her head,” the driver narrated.

Both were rushed to Ialong Hospital and later were shifted to NEIGRIHMS with grievous head injuries. Kharshiiing has been raising her voice against illegal transportation of coal despite the National Green Tribunal ban against rat hole coal mining.

Courtesy, The Shillong Times