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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Convict in RG Kar doctor's rape-murder taken to court for pronouncement of sentence
Kolkata (PTI): Amid tight security arrangements, Sanjay Roy, who has been convicted of raping and murdering an on-duty doctor at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, was brought to a court here on Monday for pronouncement of the sentence, police said.
Flanked by multiple police vehicles, Roy was brought out of jail around 10.15 am.
The Sealdah court has been fortified with nearly 500 policemen deployed and the authorities left no stone unturned to prevent any untoward incident, an officer said.
Despite the heavy police deployment, many people thronged the court premises and some were seen attempting to climb railings to catch a glimpse of the convict.
The parents of the deceased doctor, who were on their way to the court, said they trusted the judiciary to deliver justice.
“We have faith in the judge,” said the victim’s father.
The deceased doctor's mother, however, expressed disappointment with the CBI investigation, alleging that "other perpetrators involved in the crime had not been brought to justice".
“Only one person is not involved in the crime, yet the CBI has failed to apprehend the others. Such criminals have no right to live if we are to prevent future crimes in society,” the bereaved mother said.
The rape-murder of the doctor, which occurred on August 9 last year, had sparked nationwide outrage and prolonged protests.
Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was arrested a day after the incident, and the case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Found guilty of sexually assaulting the doctor and throttling her to death, Roy was convicted by the judge under Sections 64, 66 and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Section 64 (rape) of the BNS entails a punishment of not less than 10 years and can go up to life term. Section 66 (punishment for causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state of the victim) provides for a punishment of not less than 20 years that may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life, or with death.
Section 103(1) (murder) of BNS provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for life to a person convicted of the crime.
Judge Anirban Das of the Additional District and Sessions Court, Sealdah will hear Roy’s statement at 12:30 pm on Monday before pronouncing the quantum of punishment.
