At least 15 to 20 people engaged in illegal mining in abandoned coal mines of Rasberwa forest area of Upparghat in Bokaro district were feared killed when a wall of the mine caved in on Tuesday.
Confirming the incident, local villagers said that two persons were killed and three others were seriously injured, while 10 persons are still trapped.
Bokaro superintendent of police Kartik S expressed his inability to give the exact number of people killed or trapped under the debris and said that a rescue operation had been launched to extricate the trapped persons, but they couldn't locate the exact site of the accident. The SP said that that the exact casualty figures could be available only after the debris will be removed.
Villagers said that the accident occurred on Sunday night at 11pm when two dozen villagers from Tupkadih and Nawadih entered the mine through several holes that had been dug to extract coal illegally from an area.
Two hours after the villagers entered the mine, the main path collapsed, perhaps due to negligence. Those who were outside raised an alarm drawing several residents to join in rescue efforts. Eyewitnesses said those trapped could be heard shouting for help. Three villagers who were badly injured managed to come put fled the scene fearing arrest for taking part in what is essentially an illegal operation.