NDRF yet to begin rescue operations as exact location remains unidentified

Dhanbad/Giridih/Ranchi: A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), deployed to rescue miners allegedly trapped during illegal mining in an abandoned coal mine in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, is yet to begin operations, as the exact location of the incident remains unidentified, officials said on Thursday.

The NDRF was mobilised on Wednesday after Giridih MP CP Choudhary staged a dharna at Baghmara police station, demanding immediate rescue operations following reports of a mine collapse.

Despite mounting allegations, officials from Dhanbad district administration, BCCL (Bharat Coking Coal Limited), and police claimed that no signs of any such incident have been found so far.

“The rescue operation could not be started till 1.30 pm as the exact location of the mishap is yet to be found. The Dhanbad administration and BCCL are also not able to identify it,” an NDRF official said.

Choudhary, however, submitted a list of five people allegedly trapped after the roof of a mine reportedly collapsed during illegal mining activities on Tuesday evening.

Local residents claimed that a closed underground mine in BCCL’s Block-2 caved in, trapping around half-a-dozen hired workers linked to an illegal mining syndicate.

Meanwhile, an eerie silence prevails at Taratand area in Giridih, from where four workers are missing since the alleged mine collapse incident at Baghmara in Dhanbad.

Villagers claimed the four — Aziz Ansari alias Charku Ansari, 35, a resident of Kundalwadah village, Afzal Ansari alias Khan Sahab, 35, Dilip Sahab, 32, a resident of Ambabeda village and Jamshed Ansari, 30, a resident of Mathurasingha village — who had left for Baghmara have not returned so far.

“All four used to work in mines. Dhanbad police did not allow us to go to the site of the incident,” a family member of one of the missing workers said.

Kundalwadah panchayat head Qadir Ansari said many workers from the area go to Dhanbad to work in mines due to a lack of employment.

Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan on Wednesday told PTI, “We have rushed an NDRF team to the spot suggested, but so far, no sign of any such incident has been found.”

“Nine people were killed when a mine collapsed during illegal coal mining in Kesargarha of Bagmara, and dozens are feared to be trapped. On receiving the information, I immediately reached the spot and inspected it. I reached Bagmara police station and demanded a full investigation of the incident from the administration as soon as possible, and gave strict instructions that until all the dead bodies are rescued and taken out, we will sit here,” Choudhary claimed in a post on X.

The AJSU MP alleged that when he reached the site, he was opposed by the coal mafia in the presence of the administration.

“When such behaviour can happen with a public representative, it is unimaginable what would happen to the common man. Information was also received that the mouth of the mine was closed overnight by the mafia, so that the matter could be suppressed,” he alleged.

Choudhary had also staged a dharna at the site demanding the rescue of the trapped miners.

JD(U) Saryu Rai alleged that the incident shows failure of the district administration and BCCL management.