Illegal mining of coal near Pilpillo forest area under Nawadih police station, which has caused several accidents in the past, claimed its latest two persons here on Tuesday evening. Though police officials vehemently deny the incident, sources revealed two persons were killed during illegal coal extraction at private mines near Sijua khalar pahari in Nawadih block in Bokaro.
The collapse led to panic among the other villagers who started a search for other villagers who might have been trapped beneath the rubble. A portion of the burrow in which they were extracting coal collapsed on them. Two men succumbed to their injuries on the spot but fearing police action in the wake of the casualties, their bodies were immediately fished out and whisked away.
Though more than 25 people, including local villagers are regularly involved in the massive illegal operation in the area, the two deceased are one from Kasmar and other from Pichhari village. Meanwhile ,among sources based in Nawadih, a villager revealed “those involved in the illegal mining rackets are more secretive type because when none will ever tell you where they are presently cutting coal and for whom how will they reveal anything about incidents.”
“We have no information about any such incident and even though if such an incident might have happened as a tradition ,no one will speak about it at least before the police” said Bermo SDPO, Manoj Rai. Sources related that several women were also involved in illegal mining there but they have escaped with minor injuries when a large portion of the roof came crashing down.
As deaths continue basis, the illegal trade of coal too, is going on and through out the entire process Bokaro police prefer to remain silent.