3 workers die after gas leak in coal mine in Chhattisgarh
Korba : Three workers died after a gas leak in an underground coal mine of South Eastern Coalfields Limited in Chhattisgarh's Korba district Sunday, police said.
The incident took place in Bagdewa coal mines under Bankimongra police station limits in the evening, they said.
As per the preliminary information, a worker accidentally went inside a non-functional tunnel of the mine where oxygen level was low and poisonous gas was emanating, police said.
In order to rescue him, two other workers went inside the tunnel following which all three fell unconscious, they said.
After being alerted, a rescue team evacuated the trio and shifted them to a local hospital where all three were declared dead, police said.
A case has been registered in this connection, the official said, adding further details are awaited as the probe is underway in this connection.
Meanwhile, chief minister designate Bhupesh Baghel expressed condolence over the death of the three workers and announced a compensation of Rs 75,000 to the kin of each of the deceased.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
