Over the centuries, plundering gold was often the only reason to wage wars. For much of the 20th century, if they had to steel any metal, organized crime syndicates also plundered gold. Once into the new century, however, organized mob moved on to copper having their posse roam dilapidated cities striping the metal from abandoned homes or, like in Dallas, yanking it out of the new construction.
The common incentive to the metals plunder has been its rising price.
But in India, as we learn, the mob is moving on to coal.
Dubbed “black diamond” India Today elaborates:
As soon as a coal laden train leaves the siding rack, the villagers are tipped off. As the train moves through the jungles, it is stopped by a group of people and the theft begins. The villagers come prepared with gunny bags and baskets to carry their loot. Uncovered bogies make the process easy. The stolen coal is then loaded on to tractors and secured in godowns by the coal mafia.
The paper says that thousands make a living thieving the coal with millions of tons of coal being stolen every year.
“Coal theft has become a sort of occupation in Jharkhand, with mafias calling the shots and the government preferring to play a mute spectator,” writes India Today.
India is facing a coal shortage and the coal unions are threatening a strike unless miners get a better pay and the government ban coal imports.