Sonbhadra stone mine collapse: Death toll rises to seven, rescue operations underway

LUCKNOW: The death toll from the stone mine collapse in Sonbhadra district of eastern Uttar Pradesh has risen to seven, with another body recovered from the rubble, officials said on Tuesday. The seventh victim was identified as Gulab Kharwar (32), a resident of the Obra police station area of Sonbhadra. Kharwar’s body was recovered on Monday evening.Rescue operations are still underway at the site in Billi Markundi. UP minister Sanjeev Kumar Gond and Robertsganj MP Chotelal Kharwar said that around a dozen workers could still be trapped under the debris after a portion of the quarry, operated by Krishna Mining Works, collapsed on Saturday evening.The search drive will continue until the debris and stones are cleared from the mine, which collapsed on Saturday afternoon when labourers were busy drilling.The state government has announced a three-tier probe into the incident by the police, the mining department, and the district administration.UP minister Ravindra Jaiswal, who met the bereaved families of the victims on Monday, said each deceased worker’s family would receive around Rs 20 lakh from the government, and all affected labourers would be fully supported under schemes run by the Labour Department. Jaiswal said that strict action would be taken against those found guilty of illegal mining or violating safety standards.The police have booked the owner of Krishna Mining Works and his business partners, Madhusudan Singh and Dilip Keshari, both residents of Obra, on a complaint by Parsoi Tola resident Chhotu Yadav, who said his two brothers – Indrajeet Yadav and Santosh Yadav – were trapped under the rubble and succumbed to their injuries. Their bodies were recovered on Sunday.According to Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Verma, police teams were looking for the three accused.



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