Guwahati: Three labourers died and several others were left terribly unwell after inhaling some poisonous gas during an illegal coal mining operation in the Ledo area of Tinsukia district in Assam on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. The three deceased were identified as Sahidul Islam and Hussain Ali of Bongaigaon district, and Asmat Ali of Goalpara district.
The bodies, the family members alleged, were illegally buried using a JCB near the coal mine. The families of the deceased were informed about the incident by fellow injured labourers. The families alleged that the owner of the coal mine David Naga, a resident of Arunachal Pradesh, forced the labourers to work overtime even as they alleged that the other injured labourers were taken to a secret place.
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According to reports, the incident took place around 11 pm at a new rat-hole mine located inside a forest area on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Reports quoted Tinsukia Police Superintendent Debojit Deuri saying that the three workers who died were the first to enter the mine. "As soon as they entered, they became unconscious after inhaling toxic gas, and died soon after,” he said according to the report.
The officer said that police have detained five people, including workers, and are questioning them about the location of the bodies. A case of murder, criminal conspiracy, theft, and causing disappearance of evidence under sections 302, 120B, 201 and 379 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and an investigation is underway, the officer said.
