The Indian Army on Tuesday, January 7, initiated a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief mission to assist in the rescue of the miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in the remote ‘3 Kilo’ area of hilly Dima Hasao, near the Assam-Meghalaya border. The site falls under the jurisdiction of the Umrangso Police Station.
Meanwhile, the bodies of three workers have been found in the coal mine, where nine persons got trapped after the water level suddenly rose on January 6. Dima Hasao district administration said three bodies were found floating in the well at around 9 am and efforts are underway to fish them out.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, January 7, said Navy deep divers have been requisitioned to assist in the rescue operation. “Navy deep divers have been requisitioned to assist in the rescue operation. The water level inside the mine has risen to nearly 100 feet, according to the assessment by the stationed team. The divers are flying in from Visakhapatnam and are expected to arrive soon (sic),” Sarma wrote on X.
Additional teams from the Assam Rifles and the Emergency Task Force (ETF) are being deployed to the site for further assistance to strengthen the ongoing rescue operations. In addition to ground support, the Army has also deployed aerial resources to provide an enhanced operational overview.
Ganga Bahadur Shreth (Nepal), Hussain Ali (Darrang), Jakir Hussain (Darrang), Sarpa Barman (Kokrajhar), Mustafa Seikh (Darrang), Khusi Mohan Rai(Kokrajhar), Sanjit Sarkar (West Bengal), Lijan Magar (Dima Hasao) and Sarat Goyary (Sonitpur) are trapped inside the coal mine, according to a list shared by the CM on X.
Officials at the scene confirmed that every effort is being made to accelerate the rescue operations and ensure the safety of the trapped miners. The incident occurred when the mine became flooded, trapping around 15 to 20 miners inside. A few workers, who managed to come put of the mine, informed the mine owner and the local police about the mishap.
As reported, the coal mine was illegal, with mining being carried out secretly, exploiting its remote location. Similar accidents have occurred in neighbouring Meghalaya in the past, resulting in the deaths of several workers.
