Six including five women killed as part of white clay mine collapses in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district

Six persons including five women were killed and three injured after a portion of a white clay mine collapsed in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, the state government said.

Earlier, a police official had put the death toll at seven and said it was a limestone mine, but later officials said it was a place from where white clay -- used for plastering house walls -- was excavated.

In a statement in the Chhattisgarh Assembly, Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu said the incident took place at Maalgaon village under Nagarnar police station area, around 12 km from Jagdalpur, the headquarters of the district.

The injured were admitted to the Medical College Dimrapal in Jagdalpur and they were said to be out of danger, he said.

Teams of police, local administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were engaged in the rescue work, he added.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced ex-gratia aid of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

Earlier, City Superintendent of Police (Jagdalpur) Vikas Kumar had put the death toll at seven.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said the victims were digging white clay soil from a pit on the outskirts of the village.

It was meant to be used for domestic use and there was no commercial mining, he added. While clay is used for painting houses in rural areas.

When one side of the pit caved in, some people got trapped under the debris.

Soon after being alerted, police personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation, Sundarraj said.

“Five persons died on the spot and another succumbed while being taken to a hospital," the IG said.

Those killed were identified as Rameshwar Baghel (35), Dashmati Nag (35), Kumari Nag (23), Kamli (25), Shanti Nag (35) and Shaito (32).

Two women—Manmati (32) and Lakhmi Kashyap (35) and 14-year-old girl Purnima sustained injuries.

A probe into the incident is underway, the official said.