Acting swiftly against Kabribad Coal Mines mishap where five persons were killed in the cave in while extracting coal illegally from there early in the morning on Saturday, Giridih Police on Sunday registered FIR against 22 persons including Project Officer AK Roy, Colliery Manager GS Meena, Security Inspector OM Prakash Das and other officials on duty while the mine collapsed. Police said that the list of accused also included the five persons who died in the incident.
“They have been charged for coal theft, negligence in discharging their duties, criminal conspiracy as well as under the provisions of Coal Mines Act,” said DSP Manish Toppo. Taking the matter seriously, an investigation in this regard has been initiated, he added.
“Since the incident has occurred in an active mine hence, it the responsibility of the CCl management to check such outsiders enter the area,” DSP said. Even the CCl management did not inform the police about any such activities being carried out in their area, Toppo said.
The DSP further added that even though CCl authorities denied any such incident in Kabribad colliery, evidences indicated that the bodies of the deceased were carried away from the spot after the accident.
“After getting information about the mishap, police went to the spot and found jute bags, slippers and other mining equipment. The bodies of the deceased were found at Simaria Dhaura, a village located a few meters away from the spot,” Toppo said.
Kabribad colliery is located hardly three kilometers away from the district headquarter Giridih. local sources confirmed that illegal mining activity was often carried out during nights from there and minor accidents occurred very frequently there.
locals also alleged that had not the police acted promptly, local mafias and CCl staff members would have cleared all evidences of the mishap.
Five persons were killed after the surface of an illegal coal mine caved in while they were digging out coal at Kabribad mines here on Saturday early morning.
The deceased were identified as Md Samid (40), Md Kurban (35), Md Imanul Haque (22) Md Sonu (25) and Md Chhotu (24). locals however, claimed that six persons got killed during the incident.