Raipur: A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday as a mine belonging to the public sector NMDC in Kirandul, Dantewada, resulted in the loss of at least four labourers’ lives.
As of the filing of this report, three out of the four bodies have been recovered, while efforts are underway to retrieve the body of the fourth person, according to Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai.
A total of 14 labourers were involved in mining operations when the mishap occurred. The incident took place during excavation work at NMDC’s iron ore plant’s SP-3 mine in Kirandul, marking the first such occurrence in the area.
The victims, residents of Kolkata and Bihar, were residing in the Dantewada district. The excavation work at the SP-3 mine of the NMDC plant in Kirandul, Dantewada district, was being conducted by the L&T Company.
Following the incident, panic gripped the area, prompting swift response from rescue teams. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was also summoned to the scene. Senior NMDC officials are currently present at the site overseeing the rescue operation.
As of now, the bodies of three of the deceased have been recovered, and rescue efforts are ongoing. The Dantewada SP mentioned that at the time of the incident, 14 labourers were working at the site. While ten labourers managed to escape, four became trapped in the tunnel, leading to their unfortunate demise.
The deceased have been identified as Bittu Bala, 26, from Betai, Nadia district, West Bengal, Nirmal Bala, 55, from Kamdebkati, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, and Tushar Bala, 49, from Barunberia, Dhantala, Nadia, West Bengal. While the bodies of Bittu and Nirmal have been recovered, Tushar’s body remains unrecovered as of Tuesday evening. Additionally, the body of labourer Santosh Kumar Das, 29, from Shapur, Diyara district, Bihar, has been retrieved.
“We are in contact with the families of the deceased to facilitate their arrival in Dantewada for further proceedings,” stated the SP.
