Jharkhand Coal Mine Collapse: 4 killed in coal mine collapse in Ramgarh, many feared trapped
In the pre-dawn darkness of July 5, 2025, a muffled rumble echoed through the forests of Ramgarh district, Jharkhand—a sound that would unravel into one of India’s deadliest mining disasters this decade. What began as a routine illegal coal extraction operation in the Central Coalfields Limited (CCL)-owned Karmakholi mine ended with four lives buried under rubble, four injured, and haunting questions about the human cost of India’s energy hunger. This catastrophe, occurring at 5 AM in Karma’s Mahu Atangarhi area, has ripped open festering wounds around unregulated mining, administrative complicity, and the desperation driving marginalized communities into perilous underground economies.
The Collapse: Minutes of Terror
Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing scene. A group of 12-15 individuals from Mahu Atangarhi and Sugiya villages descended into the abandoned mine shaft around 4:30 AM, armed with rudimentary tools. Their target: leftover coal seams in a section declared “depleted” by CCL in 2022. For these daily wage laborers—mostly from the Scheduled Tribe communities—illegal mining (locally called rat-hole mining) offers ₹800-1,200 per night, triple what farm work pays.
At approximately 5:12 AM, as 40-year-old Nirmal Munda swung his pickaxe, the tunnel’s support beams—reportedly stripped for scrap metal months prior—buckled. “It sounded like a mountain coughing,” recalled Suresh Mahato, a villager who narrowly escaped. Within seconds, 30 meters of the eastern tunnel collapsed, trapping at least eight individuals under 15 feet of rock and coal slurry.
Race Against Time: Rescue Amidst Chaos
The first responders weren’t disaster professionals but fellow villagers. Hearing screams, locals like 55-year-old farmer Raghunath Oraon rushed with shovels and bare hands. “We dug like madmen,” Oraon told Dainik Jagran. “The dust was so thick, we tasted coal in our teeth.”
By 6:30 AM, Ramgarh’s Deputy Commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz mobilized the District Disaster Response Force (DDRF). Yet, the rescue faced crippling hurdles:
Access Issues: The illegal shaft, just 4 feet high, forced rescuers to crawl
Gas Leaks: Methane readings spiked to 2.3%—above the 1% safety threshold
Equipment Shortages: Only two portable air blowers available for oxygen supply
After 11 grueling hours, four bodies were recovered:
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Nirmal Munda (40): Father of three; sole breadwinner since his wife’s 2023 COVID death
Wakil Karmali (50): Ex-CCL contract worker laid off in 2021 mine mechanization
Imtiyaz Ansari (40): Nicknamed Lallu; migrated from Bihar seeking work
Rameshwar Manjhi (40): Landless Munda tribal activist fighting for mining rights
The injured—including Imtiyaz’s wife Rozda Khatoon (38) with a crushed pelvis—were rushed to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). As of July 6, two remain critical.
Illegal Mining Epidemic: A Desperate Dance with Death
Karmakholi’s tragedy is no anomaly. Jharkhand’s coal belt sees 300-500 illegal mining deaths annually (National Crime Records Bureau 2024), though most go unreported. The mechanics of this shadow economy reveal systemic rot:
The Supply Chain
Scouts: Tribal youth paid ₹200/day to identify abandoned mines
Extractors: Teams of 10-15 digging nightly; 1 ton coal = ₹3,000
Transport: Cycle-rickshaws move coal to “washing plants” near railway yards
Buyers: Small factories, brick kilns, and middlemen supplying thermal plants
Why It Thrives
Economic Desperation: 68% of Jharkhand’s ST population lives below ₹250/day (NITI Aayog 2025)
Political Patronage: 2024 CBI raids uncovered ₹12 crore in bribes to local officials for turning blind eyes
Corporate Neglect: CCL’s 2023 audit showed 42% of closed mines lacked proper sealing
“It’s a jugaad ecosystem,” explains Ranchi-based sociologist Dr. Anjali Minz. “Companies abandon sites without rehabilitating workers. The state denies mining permits to tribals on environmental grounds but allows corporates to ravage forests. Where should they go?”
Grief Turns to Fury: Protests Erupt
By noon on July 5, over 300 villagers blockaded CCL’s Karma Project Office, placing victims’ bodies at the gates. Their demands:
₹50 lakh compensation per family (vs. standard ₹5 lakh for illegal mining deaths)
Permanent jobs for kin in CCL
Murder charges against mine security head Ajay Thakur for “ignoring trespassing”
Police response was swift but controversial. Ramgarh SSP Rajesh Kumar deployed 200 officers, including women constables to “prevent violence.” Yet, videos show officers dragging away 65-year-old widow Sushila Devi as she clutched her son Nirmal’s corpse. “They treat us like criminals, not victims,” Devi later told reporters.
Administrative Tightrope: Excuses vs. Accountability
Authorities’ reactions followed a familiar script:
Deputy Commissioner Mumtaz:
“A high-level probe is underway. We’ve requested NDRF assistance. Strict action will follow.”
CCL Spokesperson Vinod Agrawal:
“Karmakholi was properly closed in 2022. Illegal activities are a law-and-order issue.”
Jharkhand Minister for Mines Hafizul Hasan:
“The Modi government’s coal policies force states into revenue traps. We need tribal-centric mining reforms.”
Activists dismiss these as deflection. “CCL earns ₹800 crore annually from Karma,” alleges environmental lawyer Ashok Ram. “They spend ₹2 crore on security but ₹50 crore on CSR ads about ‘sustainable mining.’ Priorities?”
The Bigger Picture: Energy Transition’s Human Toll
This disaster coincides with India’s aggressive push to double coal production to 1.5 billion tons by 2030. The contradictions are stark:
Paradox 1: While national coal output rose 12% in 2024-25, formal mining jobs fell 7% due to automation
Paradox 2: Jharkhand contributes 40% of India’s coal but has 35% child malnutrition (highest nationally)
Paradox 3: Renewable energy investments hit ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2025, yet coal remains 55% of power mix
“We’re sacrificing Adivasis at the altar of ‘development,’” says economist Jean Drèze. “For every ₹100 of coal mined, Jharkhand gets ₹12 in royalties but spends ₹30 treating mining-related diseases.”
Way Forward: Demands Beyond Compensation
Civil society groups propose urgent measures:
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Legalize Artisanal Mining: Amend MMDR Act to grant tribals small-scale mining rights
Repurpose Closed Mines: Convert abandoned pits into water reservoirs or solar farms
Strengthen Monitoring: Deploy AI-powered drones and methane sensors at sealed sites
Skill Transition: Train 50,000 ex-miners in forestry and renewable tech by 2026
As families prepare for last rites under police watch, Imtiyaz Ansari’s brother Rais asks a searing question: “When the PM talks of Viksit Bharat, does development mean stealing coal in darkness to feed our kids? Or is it lighting their future?”
The Karmakholi collapse isn’t just a mining accident—it’s a mirror to India’s fractured development model, where the earth’s riches uplift boardrooms before those who unearth them. Until this calculus changes, the coal dust will keep claiming lives, one illegal tunnel at a time.
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