Assam mining accident: Another body recovered amid rescue efforts

DIMA HASAO (Assam): A body was recovered on Saturday morning by rescue teams from the rat-hole coal mine at 3 Kilo, Umrangso area, in Dima Hasao district of Assam, an official said. This is the second body recovered by teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army and Assam Rifles.

The deceased miner, whose body was recovered at 7.36 am has been identified as Lt Lijen Magar, (27) a resident of Kalamati village in the district. Roushan Kumar Singh, Inspector of 1st Battalion of NDRF, said that they recovered a body floating in the water this morning while checking the water levels inside the mine. He said that the rescue teams took out the body around 7.30 am.

#WATCH | Dima Hasao, Assam | Inspector Roshan Kumar Singh, Team Commander, NDRF, says, “We check the water level every morning. And when we were doing that, we saw a body floating. So we took it out at around 7:30 am. The water level has been reduced by 6 metres. 5 pumps were… pic.twitter.com/15BIdi4y5g

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2025

“We check the water level every morning. And when we were doing that, we saw a body floating. So we took it out at around 7:30 am. The water level has been reduced by six metres. Five pumps were working overnight. The operation is going on 24 hours”, Inspector Singh, Team Commander, NDRF said. “Later, our rescue team recovered the body. The water level of the mine is now receding. Last night, five pumps were used in the dewatering process and this process continues,” he added.

On January 8, the rescue teams recovered the first body identified as Ganga Bahadur Shreth from the inundated rat-hole mine. A 12-member special rescue team of Coal India reached the site of the mine collapse in Assam’s Dima Hasao on Friday, to locate and rescue eight workers who are still trapped underground in the inundated rat-hole mine.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the registration of an FIR and the arrest of one individual in connection with the incident. In a post on X, Sarma informed, “The police have registered an FIR under Umrangso PS Case No: 02/2025, citing Sections 3(5)/105 BNS, r/w Section 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, to investigate the incident. Prima facie, it appears to be an illegal mine. One Punish Nunisa has been arrested in connection with the case”.

The CM had also discussed the rescue operation with Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy and sought assistance. (ANI)