Assam: Tragic Death In Illegal Coal Mines Of Ledo Highlights Dangers Of Unregulated Mining

MARGHERITA: A tragic incident occurred on Monday night in the illegal coal mines of Ledo’s Lalchuri area, resulting in the death of Bashatullah Sheikh, a handyman working with a coal-laden Max pick-up vehicle. Sheikh, a resident of Goalpara district, died instantly at around 7:30 PM.

After learning about the incident, his brother rushed him to Margherita Civil Hospital, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival. His body was later sent to Tinsukia Civil Hospital for a postmortem.

Gyan Jyoti Dutta, the Margherita circle officer and executive magistrate, conducted an examination of the body at the Margherita Civil Hospital.

This incident has once again raised concerns over the dangers of illegal coal mining in the region. The Patkai Hills, known for their rich coal reserves, have seen numerous fatalities over the years due to unsafe mining practices and a lack of regulation.

Local residents and activists have criticized the Margherita Co-District Commissioner, local police, the Divisional Forest Officer of the Digboi Forest Division, and the Assam Government for their failure to take meaningful action against these unlawful mining operations.

Bashatullah Sheikh’s death highlights the grim reality of untimely fatalities in the region and underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of mining regulations and better safety measures.

Meanwhile, earlier last month, the body of a middle-aged businessman was among five corpses found in various police station areas of Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The middle-aged man had been identified as Krishna Kamal Mahanta, hailing from Guwahati's Beltola area.

He was associated with the coal business and was suspected to commit suicide due to the loss incurred in his business. The body of the dead was recovered from the Rajwada Budhi Gaandak area.

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