New Delhi: A 12-member special rescue team from Coal India arrived at the coal mine site on Saturday morning in the Assam’s Dima Hasao district to assist in the rescue operation of eight workers who are still trapped in the flooded mine. The rescue operations enter their sixth day today. The dewatering of the quarry is ongoing with the help of specialised machinery.
The incident, which occurred on January 6 at the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in Umrangso has left nine miners trapped after a sudden gush of water flooded the site. The body of one labourer has been recovered, while eight others remain trapped. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that a case has been registered in connection with the incident.
#WATCH Dima Hasao, Assam: Rescue operations are underway to rescue 8 people trapped in a coal mine in 3 Kilo, Umrangso area. To help in the rescue operation, a 12-member special rescue team of Coal India has reached the coal mine site of 3 kg Umrangso area. pic.twitter.com/LSZ0zWbZmT
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) January 10, 2025
Leader of trapped miners arrested
The leader, or ‘sardar’, of the workers trapped in the coal mine has been arrested. Police held Hanan Laskar on Thursday night. According to officials, Laskar had fled the site immediately after the incident. This is the second arrest in the case; earlier on January 7, the quarry’s lease-holder Punish Nunis was arrested.
The rescue operations are being led by teams from the Navy, Army, Assam Rifles, NDRF, and SDRF, along with the local civil administration. Divers are on standby to enter the 340-foot-deep quarry once water levels are reduced. Dewatering efforts are being carried out with machinery provided by ONGC and Coal India.
Despite the ongoing efforts, rescuers are racing against time, with the prospects of recovering the trapped miners alive appearing grim.
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