PLFI ultras torch three tractors at West Singhbhum

Jamshedpur,July 1: After a brief lull, ultras of the People’s Liberation Front of India ( PLFI) made their presence felt by setting ablaze three tractors that had gone to fetch illegal sand from Gudri in West Singhbhum district. After this incident, panic has spread in Podahat subdivision. According to the information, illegal sand business in West Singhbhum district has been closed for the last several days, but illegal sand business is going on in Gudri. At 11 o’clock on Thursday night, three tractors that went to fetch sand from the river in Gudri block were set ablaze by the ultras of a banned outfit. The ultras also beat up the tractor drivers and drove them away. Sources said that they also fired into the air during this period. It is said that the tractor belongs to Chakradharpur, Sonua, and Lota mountains.

The West Singhbhum district SP Ashutosh Shekhar said that the tractors that went to bring sand to Gudri were torched by PLFI Naxalites. The police are investigating the incident.

Due to a lack of sand from Goilkera and Chaibasa, the illegal sand business in West Singhbhum district has been closed for several days. However, some sand mafia are secretly doing illegal sand business with tractors from Gudri.Sources said that the sand mafia of Chakradharpur was doing illegal business with the help of local police for the last several days. Sand was brought to Silphodi village by tractor every night from Gudri, from where it was sold at high prices.

Meanwhile, the local administration has increased police patrolling along the border with West Bengal and has deployed an adequate number of paramilitary personnel in areas vulnerable to rebel attack.Every effort will be made to maintain law and order and to ensure the security of the people. This time, all security forces have also been alerted to remain vigilant, particularly against IEDs and landmines, “said another official.

All the police stations in the three districts of  the division, including East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharswan, have been asked to beef up the security and keep a vigil in the bordering areas.