Bhubaneswar: The administration has initiated action against people involved in illegal coal mining in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

The Hemgiri police in Sundargarh today arrested four persons in connection with illegal coal mining at Telendihi, Ratansara and Bhograkachhar areas under Mahanadi Coalfields in the district.

The arrested have been identified as Samir Dansena of Ratansara, Golananda Majhi of Ratanpur, Hemanand Seth of Jhupuranga and Alok Seth of Gopalpur in Sundargarh.

The police have seized two tractors and motorcycles from the arrested persons.

Mangal Charan Hembram, the Junior Mining Officer at Rourkela, had lodged a complaint with the Hemgiri police after reports regarding illegal coal mining in Sundargarh came to fore recently.

On the basis of the complaint, the cops registered a case and launched a probe.

“We have arrested four persons for their involvement in illegal coal mining and produced them in a local court,” said Sundargarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Nirmal Mahapatra.