Four arrested in Sonbhadra stone quarry collapse; SIT finds serious safety lapses

Superintendent of police Abhishek Verma said that the accused were deployed by the director-general (mining safety) to ensure the mining activity goes as per rules and all safety standards are followed. The five-member SIT, led by Obra circle officer (CO) Harsh Pandey, found that the accused neither sent mandatory reports to the DG (mining safety) nor informed senior officials of their department.

Four individuals were arrested by a special investigation team (SIT) on Friday in connection with the November 15 Sonbhadra stone quarry collapse in which seven workers were killed, police said.

People gather to watch a rescue operation to bring out three labourers feared trapped in a stone quarry in Sonbhadra. (HT File)

Superintendent of police (SP) Abhishek Verma said those arrested were identified as mine manager Anil Kumar Jha, 59, a resident of a village in Darbhanga (Bihar); mine staff Gaurav Singh, 33, and Ajay Kumar, 44, and mine mate Chandrashekhar, 46, -- all three from different localities in Sonbhadra district.

The SP said that the accused were deployed by the director-general (mining safety) to ensure the mining activity goes as per rules and all safety standards are followed.

The five-member SIT, led by Obra circle officer (CO) Harsh Pandey, found that the accused neither sent mandatory reports to the DG (mining safety) nor informed senior officials of their department, the SP said.

During interrogation, the mine manager and mine mate admitted that irregularities in drilling and the use of explosives were not reported to the DG (mining safety). Workers were not given safety instructions, and essential precautions were ignored, Verma said.

The SIT also found that excessive drilling had weakened the mine structure, causing a sudden collapse of a large chunk of rock under which seven workers were buried. Prima facie, the role of the mine manager and mine mate amounted to gross negligence, dereliction of duty and violation of safety norms, the SP said, adding based on the evidence, all four were arrested and legal action had been initiated.

Verma said the police were ensuring the “strictest possible action” against those responsible, and the investigation was progressing steadily. Other accused named in the case would be arrested soon, he added.

On November 15, during drilling at the M/s Krishna Mining Works site in Billi Markundi under Obra police station limits, a large portion of the hill collapsed, burying seven workers. An FIR under Section 105 of the BNS was registered at Obra police station against mine owner Madhusudan Singh and contractor Dilip Kesari, police said, adding further investigation was underway.