Chinese man among 2 dead as roof of manganese mine collapses

Two persons, including a Chinese national, were killed and two others injured after the roof of a tunnel inside the mine of Manganese Ore India Ltd (MOIL) in Khapa area near Nagpur, collapsed on them, police said on Thursday.

Two others, including a Chinese man, suffered in the incident that took place on Wednesday night, police said.

As per the complaint lodged by an employee, he and 12 other workers, including four Chinese nationals, were carrying out welding work inside the mine when the incident took place.

One of the workers, Pankaj Chouriwar (25), was fitting nut bolts to an iron angleinside the mine, while Chinese national Chen Geg (31) was supervising the work, when the roof collapsed on them, police said as per the complaint.

Both of them were trapped under the debris and succumbed to their injuries, Nagpur rural police said in a press release.

Police have registered a case of negligence against assistant manager Prashant Gerewar and others under IPC sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).