Four persons died when security personnel opened fire on suspected coal thieves in Dhanbad district on Saturday night.

At least two persons were injured in the firing. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, who were patrolling at a coal siding, opened fire after facing resistance on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. “Four died and two injured were hospitalised after the incident,” confirmed Amar Kumar Pandey, Dhanbad deputy superintendent of police (headquarters), who went to the spot on Sunday morning.

According to reports, a large group of people had reached Benidih siding of Bharat Coking Coal Limited within the Baghmara police station limits in Dhanbad district on motorcycles to lift coal that was stocked there for subsequent loading in rakes for dispatch.

A group of CISF personnel that went for patrolling tried to intervene but faced resistance and subsequently opened fire when attacked, resulting in the death of four persons, a senior CISF official said. While the bodies were sent for post-mortem to the Dhanbad medical college.

The dead were identified as Preetam Chauhan, Sajjad Khan, Sahjada Khan and Ataul Ansari, a local reporter informed, adding they all were poor residents of nearby Telotanr village.

“It’s unfortunate that four persons died in the firing,” CISF deputy inspector-general Vinay Kajla who visited the area on Sunday told reporters at the spot, adding their personnel had to “open fire in self-defence”.

He, however, said they were “investigating” the matter for further details.

Two of their men had faced the coal lifters first but those people dragged one of them out of their vehicle and also tried to snatch his weapon when they opened fire in self-defence, the CISF DIG said, giving details.

Those who came for lifting coal deserted the place in a hurry when the firing killed four of them and left behind about 20 motorcycles.

“This is an area of our concern,” DIG Kajla further said, explaining the coal dumped there is costly coking coal and attempts of stealing it was made regularly, even earlier this month when their personnel warned coal lifters by firing in the air.

The population density of the area was too much compared to many other places and they needed more personnel to manage it, he further said, adding they would ask for reinforcement.