‘Illegal mining continues unchecked’: Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM Modi, calls for SIT probe into Assam mine mishap | India News – Times of India


NEW DELHI: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the mining tragedy in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, where four people lost their lives.
Gogoi criticised the ongoing issue of “illegal mining” in the state, attributing it to “weak law enforcement and local complicity.”
The tragedy unfolded on Monday when a sudden influx of water flooded a coal quarry in Umrangsu, trapping nine workers inside. Despite six days of rescue operations, only four bodies have been recovered so far, leaving the fate of the remaining miners uncertain.
In a statement, Gogoi, who serves as the Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, said, “As of today, rescue operations have entered their sixth day, but the fate of coal miners trapped in the illegal coal mine at Dima Hasao remains uncertain. Illegal mining continues unchecked in Assam, fuelled by weak law enforcement and local complicity,”
Highlighting the broader implications of the tragedy, he added, “I have written to the prime minister urging an urgent SIT probe to investigate this tragedy. Those responsible for this tragedy must be held accountable. Moreover, broader issues of safety, corruption, and environmental harm need to be addressed too,” he said. He stressed that the families of the victims deserve justice and called for measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
According to officials, the first body was recovered on Wednesday, while three more were retrieved on Saturday. Among the deceased is a labourer from Nepal, whose body was identified earlier. One of the three bodies recovered on Saturday was identified as 27-year-old Ligen Magar, a resident of Kalamati village in Dima Hasao. Efforts to identify the other two bodies are ongoing.
Rescue operations have been challenging due to the nature of the “rat-hole” coal mine, which remains flooded. District officials have indicated that teams are working tirelessly to locate and retrieve the remaining trapped miners.





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