Tragedy in Jharkhand: Illegal Mining Claims Four Lives

In a tragic incident in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, four people died and four others sustained injuries after an abandoned coal mine collapsed during alleged illegal mining activities, officials reported. The deadly collapse occurred at the Karma project in Mahua Tangri around the early hours of Saturday.

Authorities have recovered the bodies of Md Imtiyaz, Rameshwar Manjhi, Wakil Karmali, and Nirmal Munda, all of whom were local villagers. The rescue operations concluded after the debris was cleared, and officials stated no other individuals were trapped at the site. The abandoned mine belonged to Central Coalfields Ltd., which had security personnel intended to deter unauthorized mining.

Local residents gathered in protest near the CCL Karma Project office, demanding compensation and accusing the company of negligence. Villagers argued that the lack of barricading and adequate security led to the fatal incident. The district administration has issued a show-cause notice to the CCL management, while Union Minister Annapurna Devi and Opposition Leader Babulal Marandi called for immediate government action and a high-level investigation respectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)