Trapped for 96 hours, four workers dig their way out of Bokaro mine

Four labourers trapped in a mine accident at Parvatpur coal block in Bokaro has finally come out on their own after a span of 96 hours. The workers - Shravan Rajwar, Laxman Rajwar, Anadi Singh and Bharat Singh - went missing when the mine collapsed on November 26

Bokaro (Jharkhand):Four mine workers trapped for 96 hours at an illegal coal block in Parvatpur here have finally returned to safely. They dug their way out when police and disaster management team failed to rescue them.

The workers - Shravan Rajwar, Laxman Rajwar, Anadi Singh and Bharat Singh - went missing when the mine collapsed on November 26. Several workers trapped inside were rescued, except them. According to local residents, police visited the spot a day later and ordered an inquiry the next day, on 27 November. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team also reached the spot, on 28 November. The four labourers, however, managed to come out of the mine on their own while the NDRF team was still devising a strategy to save them.

The workers said they spent hours for digging and drank only water from the mine for three days. Each of them were carrying a torch. They used one torch at a time to save the battery charge of the other three. They did not lose hope, and, eventually found their way out.

The Health Department team reached the spot and examined their health. However, the labourers refused to go to the hospital for further check-up.

Recalling the incident, Shravan Rajwar's wife, Meera Devi said that her husband responded when he got trapped inside and could hear his voice from the tunnel. Another relative, Pradeep Rajwar said that voices could be heard from people trapped inside the mine pleading for help. The locals had tried their best from their end but could not achieve much success.

Illegal mining is being carried out in the Parvatpur coal block for a long time.