Assam: Body of Nepal Miner Recovered as Rescue Operations Continue in Umrongso Coal Mine

DIMA HASAO: The body of Rajen Sherch, a 42-year-old miner from Nepal’s Udaipur district, was recovered early Wednesday morning from a flooded coal mine in 3 Kilo, Umrongso, located in Assam’s Dima Hasao district. The discovery, made at 8:45 AM, came as rescue operations resumed despite persistent rainfall and challenging conditions.

According to NDRF spokesperson Amod Kumar, the body was handed over to the police immediately after its retrieval from the submerged mining site. The ongoing rescue mission is being spearheaded by the 1st Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Army Para Divers.

The 35-member NDRF team, led by Commandant HPS Kandari, has been working tirelessly under difficult conditions. Local reports indicate that 27 miners, aged between 26 and 57, were inside the mine when the incident occurred. Ten managed to escape, but between 13 and 17 miners remain unaccounted for. The trapped miners hail from Assam, West Bengal, and Nepal.

Among the identified trapped miners are Hussain Ali (30), Assam; Jakir Hussain (38), Assam; Sarpa Barman (46), Assam; Mustafa Sheikh (44), Assam; Khusi Mohan Rai (57), Assam; Sanjit Sarkar (35), West Bengal; Lijan Magar (26), Assam; Sarat Goyary (37), Assam.

Despite extensive efforts, three bodies have been sighted, but due to the high water levels and equipment challenges, they haven't been retrieved, according to an official from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASSDMA).

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