Kulti: Three people, including a woman, were killed after being buried in a mine collapse at the Barira open-cast coal mine (OCP) under the Damagaria Project of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) in the Kulti police station area of Asansol on Tuesday.
According to allegations, the victims had entered an abandoned section of the open-cast mine to steal coal when a collapse occurred, trapping them under the debris and leading to their deaths.
Within 24 hours of the incident, police from Kulti police station along with officials of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) visited the site on Wednesday morning to inspect the area and investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Sources said that post-mortem examinations of the three bodies were not conducted. During the site inspection, CISF officials declined to comment on the incident on camera, stating only that the accident site is extremely dangerous and entry into the area is strictly prohibited.
A CISF official said an investigation is underway to determine how the incident took place.
Damagaria Project Director Dharmendra Tiwari said that all possible efforts are made to prevent people from entering the restricted areas of the coal mine. He pointed out that the site of Tuesday’s accident is secured with barbed-wire fencing and a 50-foot-high wall. Despite these measures, an inquiry will be conducted to find out how people managed to access the area.
Tiwari added that the coal mine authorities regularly carry out awareness campaigns to curb illegal coal mining and try to prevent such activities. However, he noted that local residents often create obstacles when attempts are made to fill in illegal mining pits. He stressed that while efforts are being made to raise public awareness about the dangers of illegal mining, people must also remain vigilant to avoid such tragic accidents.