SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 10: A tragic incident in illegal mining at the Chapapur open-cast mines in the Mugma Colliery area of Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) under Nirsa police station left one person dead and another critically injured on Wednesday morning. The site is located approximately 31 km from Dhanbad district headquarters.
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Eyewitnesses reported that the incident occurred around 10:45 am when over two dozen people were illegally digging coal. Suddenly, a large chunk of coal collapsed on them. One miner was crushed to death on the spot, while another sustained severe injuries.
Fearing police action, the illegal miners and family members reportedly removed the body and took the injured person to a private clinic in nearby Bengal for treatment. Local residents claimed that more than five people may still be trapped under the coal debris.
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Despite the severity of the incident, Nirsa police and ECL authorities had not reached the site for verification even six hours after the tragedy. When contacted, Nirsa police station in-charge Anil Kumar Sharma stated that no report of a mining accident in Chapapur open-cast mines had been received.
Nirsa MLA Arup Chatterjee of CPI(ML) when contacted claimed that one person died in the illegal mining incident.
The situation has raised concerns among local residents about safety and the risks associated with illegal mining in the area.
