Bodies of 5 Workers Found After 44 Days in Flooded Coal Mine: Assam

The bodies of five miners who had spent forty-four days trapped in a flooded coal mine in the Dima Hasao area of Assam were finally rescued by rescue teams on Wednesday.

On January 6, water unexpectedly entered the coal mine and flooded it, trapping nine miners inside.

The rescue effort, which included personnel from the NDRF, Indian Army, Indian Navy, SDRF, and the Assam Rifles, had already received four bodies.

"Today, the dewatering of the Umrangso mines was completed to a level where retrieval operations could be launched," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on X. From the mine shaft, the mortal bodies of the five miners who were left have been recovered and raised. The finding process for the remains has begun.

On January 8, the first body was discovered, then on January 11, three more.

Also, the Assam government had previously said that it will give the families of the nine miners ₹10 lakh in compensation.

Ganga Bahadur Shreth of Nepal was the first to be discovered on January 8. The other three were Sarat Goyary, 37, of Thailapara in Sonitpur, Assam; Khusi Mohan Rai, 57, of Magergaon in Kokrajhar, Assam; and Lijen Magar, 27, of Kalamati village in Umrangso. All were found on January 11.

The wife of 27-year-old Lijen Magar, Junu Pradhan, is having a hard time accepting the death of her husband, who provided their family's only source of income.

Lijen Magar is survived by a two-month-old baby as well.

"Lijen Magar was our family's sole source of income. My child is two months old, and I have no idea what the future holds for us. I am completely powerless today," Junu Pradhan told news agency ANI.