Three workers die from asphyxiation in illegal Gujarat coal mine
text_fieldsThree labourers tragically died from asphyxiation at an illegal coal mine in Gujarat's Surendranagar district, police reported on Sunday.
The incident has led to the registration of a case against four individuals for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, with authorities actively searching for the suspects.
The victims, identified as Lakshman Dabhi (35), Khodabhai Makwana (32), and Viram Keraliya (35), were working in a mine near Bhet village in Thangadh taluka when they succumbed to asphyxiation on Saturday, according to an official from Muli police station.
Notably, the labourers lacked helmets, masks, or any other safety equipment while working under the accused's employment.
According to the first information report (FIR), the accused had failed to provide the necessary safety gear to the labourers. The victims inhaled gas from the well they were digging, which led to their deaths.
The four individuals charged in the case are Jashabhai Keraliya, Janak Aniyaria, Khimjibhai Saradia, and Kalpesh Parmar, as per the police official. The bodies of the deceased workers have been sent for post-mortem examinations.
This incident follows a similar tragedy in February, where three workers died after inhaling toxic gas resulting from a blast triggered by gelatin sticks used in an illegal mining operation in the same district.