Assam mining tragedy: Body of another labourer trapped in coal quarry recovered

Guwahati, Jan 11 (PTI) The body of another worker, who was trapped inside a coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, was recovered on Saturday from the quarry during rescue operations, an official said.

Two bodies have so far been recovered with the first one brought out from the mine on Wednesday, he said.

The two deceased labourers were among nine workers who were trapped inside the mine in Umrangsu on Monday after a sudden gush of water flooded the quarry.

“The rescue operations resumed this morning and one more body was recovered as the search for trapped miners entered its sixth day. The body of one labourer, hailing from Nepal, had already been recovered,” the official said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the rescue operations have been continuing with “unwavering resolve”, and said the identity of the deceased has been ascertained.

“The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old Ligen Magar, a resident of village number 1 of Kalamati in Dima Hasao,” the official said.

Magar’s body was found floating on accumulated water in the mine after the army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) divers went to bring out the worker, he said.

“Rescue efforts in Umrangsu continue with unwavering resolve. Tragically, another body was recovered this morning…,” the chief minister posted on the microblogging site.

”Our hearts go out to the grieving, as we hold on to hope and strength in this difficult time,” he added.

Dewatering of the quarry, which is 340 feet deep, was continuing with specialised machines brought in by ONGC and Coal India, the official said.

The chief minister had claimed that the mine was abandoned 12 years ago and was under the Assam Mineral Development Corporation till three years ago.

”It was not an illegal mine but an abandoned one. The workers had entered the mine that day for the first time to extract coal,” Sarma said on Friday night.

He said that the leader of the workers has been arrested and the police are conducting investigations into the case.

Speaking on the ongoing rescue operations, Sarma said that dewatering has been continuing since Thursday and so far, 7 metres of water have been cleared.

”There was water up to 26 metres across four wells. If water is cleared from the wells, we can expect some results”, he said.

Another machine has been brought in from Nagpur and would be operated from Saturday morning, Sarma said, adding that if it functions according to plans, it is expected that the water would be cleared by evening.

On the alleged involvement of a family member of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council’s Chief Executive Member (CEM) Debolal Gorlosa in the incident, the chief minister said, ”This is a human tragedy and we should not politicise it.”