Kohima: Two mine owners have been arrested in connection with the deaths of six workers from Assam trapped in a fire at a rat-hole coal mine in Wokha district in Nagaland, on Thursday.
The tragedy claimed the lives of six men from neighboring Assam, leaving their families devastated.
The incident occurred in Ruchanyan village, where the six miners, along with four others, were working deep inside the narrow, hazardous tunnel. An initial explosion was reported, followed by a fire that engulfed the mine.
While four miners were rescued and rushed to a hospital in Dimapur, all six others perished. Officials stated that the deceased hailed from Devipur, Sonapur, and Dayalpur villages near the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat district.
“Six coal miners, hailing from…tragically lost their lives in a fire that broke out at a coal mine in Ruchan village…yesterday,” wrote Assam minister Jayanta Mallabaruah in a tweet, offering condolences and promising support to the bereaved families.
The arrests of the mine owners highlight concerns over the unsafe working conditions prevalent in rat-hole coal mines. These unregulated mines, often dug without proper safety measures, pose constant danger to miners who work in cramped, poorly ventilated tunnels.