A woman, who was out answering nature’s call, was buried alive at Kusunda early on Friday morning after a sudden land subsidence, a perennial fallout of indiscriminate mining in Jharia’s underground fire-affected region.

Kalyani Devi (30), who was with her daughter Komal (8), fell into the 30-feet crater that developed near Industry Colliery as a result of the cave-in at 8 am. Her daughter shouted for help, but by the time residents gathered around and tried to save her, she had had died.

Earthmovers being used to recover the body of Kalyani Devi who died after falling in a crater that had developed after a cave-in at Jharia, Dhanbad, on Friday morning. Picture by Shabbir Hussain

Komal said both her mother and she were holding hands while returning home. “But after walking for some time, I had moved ahead. Suddenly I heard screaming. I looked back to see my mother sinking inside a crater, shouting for help,” she said.

Komal said their neighbours rushed out and tried to help. “Some tried by dropping a rope down the crater. Others tried to send down a bucket, but she could not be saved,” said Komal.

Kalyani’s body was recovered at 12.30 pm about four and-a-half hours after the site was excavated by Bharat Coking Coal (BCCL) workers who had deployed a hydraulic excavator.

Kalyani Devi, who died while returning home with her daughter in Jharia on Friday morning. Picture by Shabbir Hussain

Local residents blocked the Jharia-Dhanbad Road for than an hour from 9am, demanding compensation for the family of the deceased. This was followed by negotiations between BCCL officials and Kalyani’s family members.

Kalyani’s husband, Dilip Bauri (36) is a daily wage earner. “We don’t have a toilet in our house. All family members go outside to answer nature’s call. My wife went out this (Friday) morning along with my elder daughter, but fate had something else in store for us. My wife fell into the crater that developed after a cave-in,” he said.

Residents blamed BCCL for negligence. “BCCL never tried to douse the underground fire. Noe did it plan to shift us to a safer site, compelling us to risk or lives and stay here,” said Shanti Devi, who lives next door to Kalyani.

Kalyani Devi's daughters with family and friends after the tragedy in Jharia on Friday. Picture by Shabbir Hussain

Jharia circle officer Rajesh Kumar, who was part of the negotiations with Kalyani’s family and the district administration, said compensation would be provided to the family as per norms.