Assam: Coal miner found dead in Ledo

A dead body was found on September 4 at the coal mines of Tirap Colliery in Ledo. The young coal miner lost his life while attempting to steal coal. The victim, identified as Suraj hails from Bordumsa in Tinsukia district.

Suraj's lifeless body was discovered by local residents in the vicinity of Tirap Colliery in Ledo. After the incident, efforts were made to conceal the body by coal mafias operating in the area, but their attempts proved unsuccessful. This marks yet another instance where the lifeless body of a coal miner, Suraj, has been found.

Tirap, Tikak, Bargolai, Namdang, and Tipong collieries under NEC Coal India Ltd Margherita have witnessed several  deaths of coal miners, including individuals like Pranjal Moran, Nayan Phukan, Dipen Aley, Rupam Das, Kartik Gwala, Bijay Munda, and many more, who lost their lives while engaged in rat hole mining, an illegal and perilous practice.

It is worth noting that two alleged notorious coal sardars from Ledo, Osman Goni and Joinal Ali, have been known to recruit youths from various parts of Assam for work in illegal rat hole mining. Tragedies have struck as a result of methane gas explosions and landslides in the terrain of the Patkai hills, where coal is abundant.

In some cases, the bodies of the deceased miners have been disposed of by coal mafias, leaving families unable to perform the last rites for their loved ones.

Concerned members of the Margherita region have raised questions about the role and responsibility of Margherita police, the Margherita sub-divisional administration (civil), and officials of NEC CIL Margherita. They are perplexed as to how illegal coal mining has persisted for years, given the presence of a significant number of security forces deployed at the coal mines of NEC CIL Margherita.