Kolkata, Jan 13 A mishap occurred during coal theft at an open-cast mine belonging to a state-owned company. Several people were trapped when a landslide struck the mine in Asansol of West Burdwan district in West Bengal on Tuesday.
Ajay Poddar, BJP MLA from Kulti, stated that the bodies of three people have been recovered from inside the mine. Two others have been admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
It was earlier feared that several people were trapped inside. Rescue operations began at the mine immediately after the accident.
Coal theft from open-cast mines is not uncommon in the Asansol area. Many people illegally enter these mines to extract coal, despite the risks.
On Tuesday, several people had descended into the mine in the Barira area under the Kulti police station. The mine is operated by the state-owned company BCCL. The landslide occurred while they were extracting coal.
As soon as news of the landslide spread, locals gathered at the site. Officials from BCCL (Bharat Coking Coal Limited) also arrived at the scene, along with a police team. Rescue operations began with the help of a JCB machine. However, neither the police nor the mine authorities have officially disclosed how many people were trapped inside the mine or the number of casualties.
Regarding the incident, the District Magistrate of West Burdwan, Ponnamabalam S, said, "An investigation is underway to determine what happened. We will be able to provide more details after the investigation is complete."
Following the death of three people, a pall of gloom has descended on the Kulti area.
Locals have alleged that illegal mining has been going on in the coal mine for a very long time, with locals risking their lives to work in the mines by avoiding local administration and central security forces.
Locals claimed that the mine authorities and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guarding the mine are keeping quiet despite knowing everything.
Local sources have also said that a section of the residents of the area, just for the sake of earning a living, try to enter the mine in a risky way and steal coal.
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