Four workers die as coal slurry buries labourers in Jharkhand's Dhanbad

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police officer said. People gather during a rescue operation as at least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry at Moonidih coal washery, in Dhanbad district, Jharkhand, Saturday. (PTI)The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL). “Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation,” Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI. The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, police said, adding that a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath at the time. The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri and Hemlal Gope. Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest. They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident. Last year, four people were killed after a portion of an abandoned coal mine collapsed during alleged illegal mining in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district. The incident took place in the early hours in the Karma area under Kuju police outpost, where villagers were reportedly extracting coal. Officials said four bodies were recovered from the site, while some villagers had already taken away a few bodies before police arrived. The collapsed mine belonged to Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), with authorities noting that illegal mining activity was ongoing despite restrictions. The incident triggered protests by villagers and relatives of the victims outside the CCL project office. Local police confirmed that the mining activity was unauthorised, and political leaders called for a high-level probe, alleging negligence and continued illegal coal extraction in the area.