Illegal Coal Mine Collapse in Dhanbad Kills Three, Rescue Efforts Under Way in Jharkhand
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Three people died and several others are feared trapped after an illegal coal mine collapsed in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Sunday morning. The cave-in occurred at approximately 7 a.m. in the Keshalpur Kumharpatti area under the Ramkanali police outpost in Katras.
Vimalesh Chaubey, Regional President of the National Colliery Mazdoor Union, confirmed the fatalities. Local villagers rushed to the site immediately following the disaster, using spades and pickaxes to clear the rubble before emergency services arrived. Three injured individuals were pulled from the debris and shifted to a local nursing home for medical treatment.
Unauthorised Extraction Continues
According to local accounts, groups of men and women regularly enter these clandestine tunnels to hack away at coal seams. The illegally mined fuel is typically hauled away on motorcycles for sale in surrounding markets.
Sunday's disaster struck when the upper section of a tunnel gave way while locals were inside collecting coal. Unauthorised mining remains a persistent safety hazard across parts of the Dhanbad coal belt, driven by local economic desperation and lax enforcement.
Investigation and Ongoing Search
Police teams arrived at the scene shortly after the incident to secure the area and launch a formal inquiry. Authorities are closely monitoring the ongoing rescue operations, as local fears persist that additional bodies or survivors remain pinned beneath the collapsed earth.
