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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | 5 die in illegal mine collapse by Shashank Shekhar

5 die in illegal mine collapse by Shashank Shekhar

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published Published on Feb 8, 2012   modified Modified on Feb 8, 2012

Five women — all illegal miners — were buried alive when the roof of a 15ft deep coal pit collapsed on them near Chandrapura junction, 35km from Bokaro steel city, this noon. Two others were injured in the incident.

That the mishap took place at Jhungurghuttu, which is a stone’s throw from a bustling railway station and barely 400 metres from the Chandrapura police station, is a clear indication that illegal mining continues unabated in the coal belt region despite the administration’s tall promises to curb the menace.

According to eyewitness Khurshid Ansari, a group of 10 women — most of them mothers — and three teenaged boys entered the pit with digging tools and baskets around 11.15am. The illegal mine is located on government acres acquired illegally by a member of the local land mafia, Mohammad Shamshuddin.

“The group dug coal for some half an hour after which the roof came crashing,” Ansari said. He was seconded by another eyewitness Rameshwar Mahto, who said the women trapped inside raised an alarm prompting residents of the developed slum of Jhungurghuttu to rush to their rescue.

They managed to bring out the boys and three women, two of whom were seriously injured. Two bodies were also pulled out later. The injured were rushed to a private nursing home in Chandrapura in fear of police action.

Chandrapura officer in charge Suresh Prasad confirmed five deaths and said by the time they reached the spot, two bodies had been removed from the pit.

After Dumri MLA Jagannath Mahto reached the site, the three other bodies were brought out with the help of an excavator. They have been identified as Baleshwari Devi (31), a mother of two and resident of Prem Nagar, Geeta Devi (32) who has three children in Jhungurghuttu and Kunti Devi (30), the mother of one and resident of Chandrapura. They were first taken to DVC Hospital and later sent to Tenughat hospital for post-mortem.

Police are yet to identify the other two victims whose bodies were removed, while the injured have been identified as Janki Devi and Sita Devi.

DIG (coal belt) Laxman Singh said he had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

On how illegal mining was going on near a police station, Singh reiterated that he had already constituted a team of senior officials, including deputy collector (land records), circle officer and officer in charge of local police station, for preparing a report on illegal mining.

“This incident is extremely sad. I have asked the SP to conduct a probe and punish those encouraging illegal mining of coal,” the DIG said.

The Telegraph, 8 February, 2012, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120208/jsp/frontpage/story_15106994.jsp


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