4 dead, more feared trapped after portion of coal mine collapses in Jharkhand

Four persons were killed and some others feared trapped after a portion of an abandoned coal mine collapsed during “illegal” mining in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the early hours at Karma area of Kuju Outpost in the district.

“Four bodies have been recovered from the accident site...” SDPO (Ramgarh) Parmeshwar Prasad said.

Villagers, however, took away three bodies before the police team arrived at the spot, another official said.

An administrative team has been carrying out relief and rescue operations since morning.

SP Ajay Kumar said the incident occurred in an abandoned mine of Central Coalfields Ltd.

“The company has its own security personnel to stop such illegal activities. We extended our cooperation to CCL after we received the information,” he said.

A section of villagers have been demonstrating near the CCL Karma Project office in the area to protest against the incident, officials said.

Kuju Police Outpost in-charge Ashutosh Kumar Singh told PTI that “more people are suspected to be trapped".

He said that some villagers were involved in “illegal” mining of coal at the site.

Jharkhand BJP chief and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi has demanded a high-level probe into the incident.

"I am deeply saddened by this news. Many of our labourer brothers are feared to be buried in illegal coal mines. I pray to god for their safety and express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," Marandi said in a post on X.

He also claimed that this was not an accident, but murder.

“This is due to the negligence of the corrupt and incompetent government, which turns a blind eye to the illegal business going on in broad daylight," Marandi alleged.

He also said that the CCL had closed the mine, but the coal mafia reopened it.