(Sep 27, 12:30pm)
I reached Dhanbad Junction at quarter past 12 on the intervening night of Sunday-Monday.. A fretting Kolkata cousin with Mr *anerjee, his friend, was waiting in the latter's car..
Such is the terror of mafias there, particularly in the night, in India's coal capital where millions of black money is siphoned off everyday, that they had brought along two six-footer body guards with them..
And interestingly the cell phones of all four buzzed without interval, as their anxious parents called up every minute to inquire they were safe!
XXX
I knew instantly what and where I was upto! The next two days were spent meeting mafias, warlords, coal brokers, who spoke after continued and diligent persuasion from our side.. and only after conditions of anonymity was guaranteed!
XXX
"There was this reporter a couple of years back.. trying to act too smart with his unsettling volley of questions.. You see that stove there? He was pushed in onto it, and his Honda cut into two halves and thrown away in the mines," said one of the brokers to an astonished audience of me, the Kol cousin, Mr *anerjee and our driver!
XXX
But he was helpful in the sense, he really gave in a lot about the whole racket, and helped us understand the logistics about how exactly this massive black money is generated everyday!
XXX
Then there was this dreaded mafia family... People refer to them with the names of their sprawling houses.. *ingh Mansion and *aghukool, the alleged hot seats of 'mafiagiri' now managed by two arch rival cousins, who, allegedly again, control the BCCL.. and hence practically the entire coal reserves of the country..
First we went to Mr *a*j*** Singh... who had agreed to meet me when one of his former henchman *icky, who now works as care taker for Mr *anerjee, assured him I would not do any selective reportage or editing to show him in bad light..
XXX
I thought he was too sober for a mafia.. and certainly too docile for a man who is understood to have (got) shot people on their heads right in social gatherings, in rallies, broad daylight public meetings, everywhere..
No sooner had I asked him the first question than a gang of around 12 men gheraoed me, and pulled up the edge of their half jackets, rather intelligently I would say, to allow me a glance of their pistols, and to suggest how any attempt at 'street smartness' would be answered..
But I believe it was the mafia, more than I, who was offended.. since he dismissed them off without delay, admonishing them in hurriedly uttered sentences, in mix of Hindi and local dialects, which I could not fully comprehend..
XXX
I had specific instructions from Mr *anerjee and *icky, that I first took him to confidence by recounting the good work his dead father (politician and India's first alleged coal kingpin) is attributed to have done, and create a kind of Robin Hood impression for their family which they always respond to very kindly..
It worked.. he answered all my questions readily.. even the awkward ones.. and when it was time for photoshoot, he obliged me with pictures clicked from perhaps every angle, with sudden and gleeful interest of a child, eagerly changing his glasses, or his posture, or sometimes his expression which ranged from sombre arrogance to immoderately pleasing, most often characteristic of those who want to generate sudden goodwill among their peers..
XXX
At Raghukool the scene was different.. since this man also happens to be the deputy *ayor of the town.. like most *afias do when they want to seek political and social legitimacy to their practices..
He was more poised, more clever, not very casual like Mr *ingh, yet surprisingly indiscreet... He threw much light on how BCCL and its interested associates are not stopping the underground fire in Jharia, which adjoins Dhanbad, which he said was done with the design to disperse settlements and grab their lands for further mining.. and this in blatant disregard to SC which in its subsequent directives has made it obligatory on BCCL to carry out sand stowing (which effectively reduces fire) each time mining was done..
XXX
By the way what was he so bothered about? Our natural reserves being exploited or the fact that he could not be the sole ally of BCCL, which was sharing the booty with other men?
XXX
Then there were men from NGOs, social activists, MLAs, MPs, and many others who readily helped with whatever material, court documents they had in the matter... and with their quotes which, of course, added to my insight, and will be very helpful to develop the story..
XXX
Will keep you updated on this.. and will share more such experiences in future posts.. for now, I am getting late for another appointment..
XXX
I reached Dhanbad Junction at quarter past 12 on the intervening night of Sunday-Monday.. A fretting Kolkata cousin with Mr *anerjee, his friend, was waiting in the latter's car..
Such is the terror of mafias there, particularly in the night, in India's coal capital where millions of black money is siphoned off everyday, that they had brought along two six-footer body guards with them..
And interestingly the cell phones of all four buzzed without interval, as their anxious parents called up every minute to inquire they were safe!
XXX
I knew instantly what and where I was upto! The next two days were spent meeting mafias, warlords, coal brokers, who spoke after continued and diligent persuasion from our side.. and only after conditions of anonymity was guaranteed!
XXX
"There was this reporter a couple of years back.. trying to act too smart with his unsettling volley of questions.. You see that stove there? He was pushed in onto it, and his Honda cut into two halves and thrown away in the mines," said one of the brokers to an astonished audience of me, the Kol cousin, Mr *anerjee and our driver!
XXX
But he was helpful in the sense, he really gave in a lot about the whole racket, and helped us understand the logistics about how exactly this massive black money is generated everyday!
XXX
Then there was this dreaded mafia family... People refer to them with the names of their sprawling houses.. *ingh Mansion and *aghukool, the alleged hot seats of 'mafiagiri' now managed by two arch rival cousins, who, allegedly again, control the BCCL.. and hence practically the entire coal reserves of the country..
First we went to Mr *a*j*** Singh... who had agreed to meet me when one of his former henchman *icky, who now works as care taker for Mr *anerjee, assured him I would not do any selective reportage or editing to show him in bad light..
XXX
I thought he was too sober for a mafia.. and certainly too docile for a man who is understood to have (got) shot people on their heads right in social gatherings, in rallies, broad daylight public meetings, everywhere..
No sooner had I asked him the first question than a gang of around 12 men gheraoed me, and pulled up the edge of their half jackets, rather intelligently I would say, to allow me a glance of their pistols, and to suggest how any attempt at 'street smartness' would be answered..
But I believe it was the mafia, more than I, who was offended.. since he dismissed them off without delay, admonishing them in hurriedly uttered sentences, in mix of Hindi and local dialects, which I could not fully comprehend..
XXX
I had specific instructions from Mr *anerjee and *icky, that I first took him to confidence by recounting the good work his dead father (politician and India's first alleged coal kingpin) is attributed to have done, and create a kind of Robin Hood impression for their family which they always respond to very kindly..
It worked.. he answered all my questions readily.. even the awkward ones.. and when it was time for photoshoot, he obliged me with pictures clicked from perhaps every angle, with sudden and gleeful interest of a child, eagerly changing his glasses, or his posture, or sometimes his expression which ranged from sombre arrogance to immoderately pleasing, most often characteristic of those who want to generate sudden goodwill among their peers..
XXX
At Raghukool the scene was different.. since this man also happens to be the deputy *ayor of the town.. like most *afias do when they want to seek political and social legitimacy to their practices..
He was more poised, more clever, not very casual like Mr *ingh, yet surprisingly indiscreet... He threw much light on how BCCL and its interested associates are not stopping the underground fire in Jharia, which adjoins Dhanbad, which he said was done with the design to disperse settlements and grab their lands for further mining.. and this in blatant disregard to SC which in its subsequent directives has made it obligatory on BCCL to carry out sand stowing (which effectively reduces fire) each time mining was done..
XXX
By the way what was he so bothered about? Our natural reserves being exploited or the fact that he could not be the sole ally of BCCL, which was sharing the booty with other men?
XXX
Then there were men from NGOs, social activists, MLAs, MPs, and many others who readily helped with whatever material, court documents they had in the matter... and with their quotes which, of course, added to my insight, and will be very helpful to develop the story..
XXX
Will keep you updated on this.. and will share more such experiences in future posts.. for now, I am getting late for another appointment..
XXX
