Katras coal mine accident: What we know so far

An illegal coal mine collapsed in Katras, Dhanbad, at about 7 am on September 13.

At least two people died, though one report quoted a labour union leader as saying three were killed.

The collapse hit the upper part of a tunnel where men and women were collecting coal.

Villagers began the first rescue efforts with spades and pickaxes.

Police are investigating the accident.

Several others were reportedly injured, and three injured workers were said to have been taken to a nearby nursing home.

Locals feared more people could still be trapped under the debris, and rescue efforts were continuing when the first reports were filed.

Illegal coal mining, often done in abandoned or unauthorised tunnels, has long been a safety and law-and-order concern in the Dhanbad coalfield.

Coal from such unauthorised mines is reportedly carried and sold in nearby markets, often on motorcycles.

Collapses in unauthorised tunnels are hard to prevent because the workings are unsupported and unmapped.

The incident has renewed calls from labour groups for stronger enforcement and for alternative livelihoods for people who depend on illegal mining.

Dhanbad is often called India’s coal capital and sits on the Jharia coalfield, one of the country’s most important coking coal reserves.

Legal mining in the region is carried out by Bharat Coking Coal Limited, a Coal India subsidiary, while illegal miners often work in abandoned or unsupervised workings.

The first reports of the accident did not mention any arrests, and police said their investigation into the circumstances had only just begun.

Jharkhand has seen repeated accidents at illegal mines in past years, which is why labour groups keep raising safety concerns.

Accounts of the collapse were carried by PTI-based outlets such as The Hans India and National Herald, as well as Hindi channels including AajTak.

The collapse happened on Sunday, September 13, at around 7 am in Keshalpur Kumharpatti, in the Ramkanali police outpost area of Katras.

Coal mine in Dhanbad (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0