Tragic Gas Leak Claims Four Lives in Jharkhand Coal Mine Incident

Ranchi, June 14: A tragic incident in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district has resulted in the deaths of four young men due to inhalation of toxic gas while illegally mining in a closed coal mine.

The incident occurred in the Argadda forest area, near the Giddi-Ramgarh border, where a group of youths entered the abandoned mine for excavation work. Among the deceased, two were residents of Ramgarh district, while the other two hailed from Hazaribagh.

Reports indicate that one young man lost consciousness after coming into contact with the toxic gas. In an attempt to rescue him, three of his companions entered the mine one by one, only to succumb to the gas as well.

The victims have been identified as Ashish Rajwar (25), Kishore Rawani (35), Deva Kumar Bediya (25), and W Bediya (30). Deva Kumar Bediya and W Bediya were from the Sirka-Argadda area of Hazaribagh, while Ashish Rajwar and Kishore Rawani resided in the Sirka Buddha Market area of Ramgarh.

Following the incident, local police and villagers rushed to the scene. A 14-member rescue team from Central Coalfields Limited was dispatched, with seven members equipped with safety gear entering the mine. After nearly an hour of efforts, all four young men were retrieved and taken to a hospital.

Doctors declared two of them dead upon arrival, while the other two succumbed to their injuries during treatment.

Administrative officials reported that initial investigations revealed dangerously low oxygen levels inside the mine, coupled with high concentrations of toxic gases. It is suspected that the four men died from asphyxiation, but the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report.

The post-mortem examination is being conducted under videography, and police have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Local residents have long raised concerns about the risk of gas leaks from abandoned mines in the area.

Meanwhile, Aditya Sahu, the state BJP president, expressed his condolences over the incident and demanded accountability from the administration for negligence.