SHAHDOL: Four men who entered an abandoned underground mine in Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh allegedly with the intention to collect coal or scrap have died after inhaling toxic gas, a police official said on Friday.
The incident took place between 10 pm and 11 pm on Thursday in Dhanpuri, some 28 kilometres from the district headquarters, and the bodies were retrieved from the coal mine in the early hours of Friday, Superintendent of Police Kumar Prateek said.
"The deceased have been identified as Raj Mahto (20), Hazari Kol (30), Rahul Kol (23) and Kapil Vishwakarma (21), all residents of Dhanpuri. The mine was closed for the last couple of years. Four persons entered the site, while one stood outside. The fifth person peeped inside after some time and found his associates unresponsive," he said.
He alerted others, who called in the police, which put in four hours to retrieve the bodies of the men from inside the mine, the SP said.
"Initial investigations suggest the men died after inhaling toxic gas emanating from the closed mine. A case has been registered and the probe is underway," Prateek informed.
As per residents of the vicinity, the mine's opening is covered with bricks and cement, but some try to enter with iron rods etc to look for coal or scrap.