SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 3: Two persons died and one injured as a coal roof caved in during alleged illegal mining in the Kapasara outsourcing mines of the Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) under Nirsa police station of Dhanbad on Thursday morning.
After the incident, the villagers took away the bodies fearing police action and admitted the injured person to a private clinic in Nirsa block.
Those who died have been identified as residents of the Kamardih and Mugma areas respectively.
This is the second time in a month when people have died due to illegal mining in the same colliery.
The incident reportedly took place at around 7 a.m. on Thursday. Dozens of people were mining inside the mines when the incident happened. Commotion prevailed on site after the incident. People at the spot brought out the bodies from the debris and fled.
Blood spots and clothes, footwear and other belongings of victims were found scattered at the entrance of mines.
However, the Nirsa police and management of the ECL Mugma colliery area denied the incident.
Nirsa SDPO Pitamber Singh Kharwar and police station officer Dilip Yadav when contacted denied having any information in this regard.
ECL Mugma area general manager B.C. Singh did not receive phone calls from media persons.
Notably, on February 1, five people had died in the same colliery during illegal mining. However, the Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Sandip Singh had denied illegal mining and said that they were picking up coal when the incident happened.
