4 dead, several trapped as coal mine wall collapses in Ramgarh

A devastating incident of illegal coal mining turned fatal in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district on Saturday, as a wall of an abandoned open-cast coal mine belonging to Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) collapsed, killing four men. The tragedy occurred in the early morning hours at the Karma coal project area in Kuju, where the victims were engaged in illicit coal extraction.

Police and administrative officials rushed to the site, located near Mahua Tungari in Sugiya village under Kuju police station limits, approximately 12 kilometers from Ramgarh town. Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner Fiaz Aq Ahmad Mumtaz confirmed the incident, stating that rescue operations are underway with the assistance of CCL. Subdivisional Police Officer Parameshwar Prasad reported that the body of one man was recovered, while the corpses of three others were reportedly taken away by villagers before authorities could secure them. The deceased are currently being identified.

Eyewitnesses informed the police that more than a dozen local individuals were illegally mining coal when the wall caved in. Ramgarh SP Ajay Kumar Singh stated that a probe has been initiated into the incident, acknowledging that the mine was abandoned and that CCL has its own security measures to prevent such illegal activities. He added that the police cooperate with CCL upon receiving information regarding illicit mining. This incident highlights the persistent danger posed by illegal mining operations in abandoned coal mines across Jharkhand, often driven by economic desperation in the region.