Dhanbad, February 02, 2022 (PPI-OT):At least four females died and many are feared trapped as three abandoned coal mines collapsed during illegal mining in Indian state Jharkhand. Prem Kumar Tiwari, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Dhanbad, said that three bodies of women and one of a girl were recovered from Gopinathpur Open Cast Project (OCP) of Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) in Nirsa police station area of the state’s district.

Tiwari, who is monitoring the rescue operation, said “search for the others who might have been trapped” is underway. Two other quarries that caved in Kapasara, also of ECL, and Chach Victoria of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) are also feared to have buried miners.

Kapasara outsourcing project was the first to have collapsed on Monday and that was followed by Chach Victoria of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) while the third incident happened at the Gopinathpur open cast mine. Only the coal companies can specify the number of people trapped inside, said Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad-Rural) Reeshma Ramesan.

“I can’t say much about the number of casualties and injured. We are verifying the details and would be able to give information only after getting reports. Our teams have rushed there,” she added. The officials said that families of the illegal miners are yet to report to the authorities, fearing police action.

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