8 killed, 5 injured in coal mine mishap in Odisha

At least eight persons were killed and five others injured when a coal dump of the Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd caved in near an open cast mine in Odisha's Sundargarh district today.
"Bodies of eight persons have so far been recovered and five persons rescued from the site at Kulda open cast Basundhara-Garjanbahal coal mine area," a MCL spokesman said.
Sundargarh Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Arora, who was at the spot, did not rule out increase in the number of casualties as some more people were suspected to be trapped under the debris.
The injured persons were admitted to hospital, he said.

Some of them came under a heap as a portion of the coal dump suddenly collapsed, probably due to heavy rains that lashed the area yesterday, the spokesman said, adding rescue operation was immediately launched at the site.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered a probe by the local revenue divisional commissioner.

The MCL and the Odisha government separately announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh respectively to the next of kin of the deceased.
The MCL also sanctioned Rs 10,000 each for the victim's family members for the funeral. It was also providing the medical expenditure for the injured, the spokesman said.

For the residents of the area, scavenging coal was a profession.
Entry of people to this area was illegal and there were notice boards warning about it, the spokesman added.