At least three people have died and several others feared trapped after an illegal coal mine collapsed near Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, news agency PTI reported citing an official. The mishap occurred at around 10.30 AM at Bhowra Colliery Area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), about 21 km from Dhanbad.
Rescue operations are underway and the exact number of people killed or feared trapped is still unclear, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Sindri, Abhishek Kumar said.
Eyewitnesses quoted by PTI said three persons were evacuated from the debris with the help of locals. “They were taken to a local hospital where they were declared dead,” they said.
Many local villagers were involved in illegal mining when the mine collapsed, the locals said.