Three persons were killed while 26 others are lying trapped at three different illegal mining sites of Nirsa Block of Dhanbad. The incidents took place in two collieries of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) at Gopinathpur and Kapasara and one mining patch of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Dahibari area. The first incident took place at the illegal mining site of Gopinathpur Colliery at around 4 am this morning during which more than 11 people were trapped during illegal mining in a coal tunnel when a huge coal block caved in.

Sleepers at the spot Shabbir Hussain

Local residents launched the rescue operation after the incident and took away the dead bodies of all the three deceased, fearing police action on the charges of illegal mining.

A rescue team of BCCL however reached the site accompanied by Senior Police Officers led by Sub Divisional Police Officer of Nirsa, Pitambar Singh Shekhawat; officer in Charge of Nirsa, Dileep Kumar Yadav.

In another incident at the illegal mining site of Kapasara Colliery of Eastern Coalfields around ten persons have been trapped due to roof collapse while carrying out mining from the coal tunnel. Though, local residents claimed three people have died in the collapse at Kapasara colliery area cops denied any causality.

In another mishap at C Patch (a mining site outsourced to a private contractor) of Dahibari Colliery of BCCL in Nirsa, around eight people have been trapped due to roof collapse caused by illegal mining. Local residents also claimed that three persons have died.

Former Nirsa MLA and senior leader of Marxist Coordination Committee, Arup Chatterjee, who visited the site at Gopinathpur Colliery, said, “These happened due to illegal mining and rampant coal smuggling involving politicians, administration and police. “Three bodies have so far been taken out from Gopinathpur Colliery while eight to nine people are still lying trapped,” added Chatterjee.

Three persons each have also died in two separate incidents that took place in Kapasara Colliery and C Patch of Dahibari colliery” claimed Chatterjee and added that death took may rise upto 20 after the completion of rescue work.

Pitambar Singh Shekhawat, Sub Divisional Police Officer of Nirsa said, “We have sent our team to Dahibari colliery to verify the incidents and until any dead bodies are found we can’t verify the deaths as we have not received any complaint from the family members of deceased. We will also send our team to Kapasara and Dahibari C patch to verify the incidents but so far we can’t confirm any death” said Shekhawat.