In Ledu, Tinsukia 2 coal miners killed at illegal rat-hole mine

Dibrugarh: Two coal miners died in an illegal coal mine at Ledo in east Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The dead bodies of two miners were recovered from Rathole mine in Molo Pahar area under Ledo police station in Tinsukia district on Wednesday.
Police suspect that he died of inhalation of methane-like toxic gas in an illegal mine in Ledo .

One of the two miners who died has been identified as Nayan Phukan, a resident of Itakhuli area of ​​Ledo.
Sources said he worked under one Kitesh Debnath, who runs an illegal coal business in Ledo.

“So far many youths have died in rat mines. Most of them were from poor backgrounds and were involved in illegal coal procurement. A few months ago a youth from Makum in Ledu area was killed in a rat mine. “The body of the youth, identified as Pranjal Moran, was recovered from the rat hole mine three months later,” a source said.
Pranjal Moran’s widow, Arvasi Moran, 24, said, “I lost my husband in illegal rat hole mining in January this year but they did not inform us and secretly burnt his body. After a long fight, the police recovered his body from a rat hole mine at Tirap Colliery on April 7.
To earn more money, Pranjal joins coal mining. Coal miners hired from places like Goalpara, Nalbari in Assam have died while extracting coal but the coal mafia hides such incidents and does not inform their families.
In September last year, at least three workers died in an illegal “rat hole” mine in Ledu.

Illegal ‘rat holes’ mines are spreading in Margarita and Lido in Tinsukia district, police officials said. Coal smugglers run organized rackets in the region.
“‘Rat hole’ mining is banned, but such mines still operate in some parts of the region. We crack down on such mines whenever we get any information,” said a police official.