Toll in Jharkhand mines mishap rises to 5, many still feared trapped
Dhanbad(PTI): The death toll in the mines collapse in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district rose to five as one more body was recovered, with many people still feared trapped inside, police said on Wednesday.
The government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the mishap at the Gopinathpur abandoned mines of Eastern Coalfield Ltd (ECL) in Nirsa police station area during illegal mining by locals, they said.
The SIT will be headed by Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad-Rural) Reeshma Ramesan, they added.
Sanjiv Kumar, the Senior Superintendent of Police (Dhanbad), said authorities found no signs of any collapse at the Kapasara mines of ECL and Chach Victoriya project of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL).
"The incident occurred only at the Gopinathpur mines of ECL where five bodies have been retrieved from the debris. All five bodies -- four women and a man -- have been identified," he said.
At least 24 persons have died due to mishaps during illegal mining at ECL's mines in Nirsa in the last four years, officials said.
The district administration has sought mines safety audit report of ECL, a subsidiary of PSU Coal India, from Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), SSP Kumar said.
An ECL official they have filed a complaint at Nirsa police station against unknown people over illegal mining. Unauthorised entry to abandoned mines is prohibited and security has been sought from the administration, he said.
BJP's Nirsa MLA Aparna Sengupta demanded that a murder case be lodged against the ECL officials for the loss of lives.
Hitting out at the Hemant Soren government, she said that such incidents have increased during the present regime.
Former Nirsa MLA Arup Chatterjee of Marxists Coordination Committee (MCC) claimed that at least a dozen villagers have lost their lives in the incident.
"Illegal coal mining is being done at such a large scale for the first time in Nirsa area collieries of ECL. Without the involvement of ECL management, CISF and local police, such large-scale illegal coal mining is not possible," he alleged.
Former Chief Minister Raghubar Das demanded compensation and jobs for the kin of those killed.
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
