One killed, another injured in coal mine explosion in Jharkhand's Hazaribag

Hazaribagh/Ramgarh, Sep 24 (PTI) A 55-year-old employee of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) died while another was injured in an explosion while handling explosives in a drilled hole for coal excavation at an open-cast mine in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district on Wednesday evening, a police officer said.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Barkagaon, Pawan Kumar, told PTI that the coal miner Mahesh Sao (55) was killed at the spot and the injured woman employee Radha Devi (56) was rushed to CCL Hospital in Bhurkunda area of neighbouring Ramgarh district, from where she has been referred to Medanta Hospital in Ranchi for better treatment.

They were handling explosives in a drilled hole for coal excavation at Urimari open-cast mine under the Barka-Sayal area of CCL, the officer said.

Nirbhay Kumar Gupta, officer in-charge of Bhurkunda Thana Outpost (TOP) in Ramgarh district, said, "The body of the deceased employee has been kept in Bhurkunda hospital of CCL, and post-mortem of the body would be conducted in Sadar Hospital Ramgarh..

Repeated attempts to contact CCL officials went unanswered. PTI CORR ANB RG