Four workers died inside an illegal coal mine in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district after a suspected toxic gas leak, officials said Friday, igniting a political dispute over enforcement.
Rescue teams could not reach the men quickly because the shaft lacked ventilation maps and operated without licenses, according to district mining officers.
Opposition leaders accused the state government of tolerating rat-hole operations that persist despite periodic crackdowns and court orders.
Forensic specialists are testing air samples to confirm whether methane, carbon monoxide or other gases caused the fatalities deep underground.
Families of the deceased demanded compensation and criminal charges against landowners who allegedly contracted informal diggers during a coal price surge.
The disaster mirrors recurring tragedies in India’s informal mining belt, where poverty drives laborers into abandoned pits with minimal safety gear.
Ramgarh district officials ordered sealing of adjacent shafts while environmental inspectors test groundwater near the leak site for contamination from disturbed coal seams.
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Sources:
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jharkhand-ramgarh-illegal-coal-mine-toxic-gas-deaths-political-row-10738248/