By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Police have registered a case of negligence against the manager of the rat hole mine located at Nengkul, Rongsa Awe of Nangalbibra in East Garo Hills, where labourers are still trapped inside in one of the worst coal mine accidents in recent times. The incident took place after some miners tragically hit into a wall of an old abandoned mine that was filled with several thousand gallons of water.
Police informed that the fate of the trapped miners remains uncertain although search and rescue operation is on to trace out the miners.
On being asked why it took so long for police to reach the spot, it is learnt that the mine owners wanted to cover up the episode in a clandestine manner whereas police came to know the incident on Tuesday when some local people informed them about it.
“The search operation got affected due to rain that submerged the entire mine,” said a police source.
In another accident a coal labourer died and several others sustained serious injuries while excavating coal from a mine in Nangalbibra, South Garo Hills, on Sunday.