In the stone mine collapse incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra, two people were reportedly killed, and at least 15 workers were still trapped inside the debris. Rescue operations are proving extremely challenging due to water accumulation inside the mine and the poor condition of the access route, officials said on Sunday.
The accident occurred in the Billi Markundi mining area of Obra, where a section of the Krishna Mining Stone mine collapsed on Saturday evening.
Rescue teams have deployed heavy machinery to create a passage by laying stones and gravel to reach the collapse site. Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, senior officials rushed to the spot. ADG Zone Piyush Mordia, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma, Commissioner of Mirzapur, Rajesh Prakash, and IG RP Singh inspected the site and reviewed rescue efforts.
So far, one body has been recovered, identified as Raju Singh, son of Triveni Singh, at around 4 am today. Officials have confirmed at least two deaths, while some reports suggest the toll may be three.
All routes leading to the mining zone have been sealed by the police, and entry has been restricted.
Villager Chhotu Yadav, whose two brothers Santosh and Indrajit are among those trapped, has filed a complaint against the mine owner and partner, demanding strict action.
The incident occurred around 4 pm. on Saturday when several workers were operating nine compressors during drilling. Suddenly, a massive portion of the hill, over 150 feet high, collapsed. Two workers managed to escape, but many were buried under the falling debris.
Rescue operations began around 8:15 p.m. after adequate lighting was arranged due to the darkness. Teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and Fire Services are engaged in the operation.
District Magistrate BN Singh stated that reports indicate two workers have died. He has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, assigning Additional District Magistrate (Finance & Revenue) Vagish Singh to lead the investigation. Further action will be taken based on the inquiry report.