A coal mine in the Raniganj belt, where Jamuria is located. File
| Photo Credit: Shrabana Chatterjee
One person died and several others were injured in a landslide in the coal mines of Jamuria in the Raniganj coal belt in West Bengal on Thursday (May 14, 2026). Locals suspect that multiple others are trapped inside the mines.
The Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL)’s Kunustoria Padashiya Colliery collapsed on Thursday morning leading to the massive accident. Though the administration started rescue operations, several workers were still trapped inside the mines even in the evening.
It is reported that, during the blasting process of mining, there was “air blast” in section 27 of the Kunustoria coal mines, leading to collapse of multiple pillars at the same time. The impact led to fall of rocks and construction material, causing a landslide and leaving a worker dead.
A rescued worker said that it felt like the ground beneath their feet started shaking and all of them fell in different directions in the impact of the air blast.
“The accident occurred around 10 a.m. The injured have been admitted to the local hospital in Raniganj and other ECL hospitals,” Raghubir Prasad, a local resident of Jamuria, told The Hindu on Thursday.
Coal mine workers staged a protest in the area immediately after the accident and alleged that the accident occurred due to lack of supervision and safety measures.
“At least 17 people are in the hospital. One person has died, one person is in a critical state,” Dharmadas Mandol, local secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), told mediapersons.
Panicked family members of the workers reached the area, looking for answers. However, local workers’ union leaders complained that they had not got any concrete response on the whereabouts of the workers and the rescue operations from the ECL authorities.
Families and local people gathered to demand fair compensation for the dead and injured coal mine workers.
The colliery authorities have begun an investigation into how the accident occurred.
In the past, landslides in these coal mines and surrounding regions left many houses crumbled, killing many people and leaving several homeless. Even after years of protests and demands, many are yet to receive fair compensation for their loss.
Published – May 14, 2026 08:30 pm IST
