Representative Image: a coal mine somewhere in Nagaland. Despite the State Government ban on illegal coal mining and ordering a provisional ban on licensed mining activity, such activities are reportedly continuing in some part of the state.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 3
Four persons died at a coal mining site in Longleng on March 3. The tragedy occurred in an abandoned coal mine near the Assam-Nagaland inter-state border under Yonglok Police Station.
According to the Longleng police, the mine was closed at the time and the victims had reportedly gone there to retrieve personal belongings. The victims hailed from Upper Assam and were identified as Jitan Tanti (40), Krishna Gogoi (32), Tutu Deka (28) and Shushan Phukon (37).
The mine was recently shut down in the aftermath of the Nagaland State Government banning illegal coal mining and ordering a provisional ban on licensed mining activity, the police added.
The bodies were retrieved on Saturday night after police were informed of the death in the evening and taken to Longleng town. Post-mortem was not conducted at the request of the victims’ families, the police said, while adding that the cause of death could not be ascertained.
While the police ruled out foul play, it suspected the victims were exposed to toxic fumes from the mine.
