Rescue Operation In UP's Sonbhadra Mine Collapse Over; 7 Bodies Recovered

Sonbhadra: The rescue operation to locate and rescue individuals trapped after a stone mine collapsed in Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh was completed on Tuesday, officials said.

Sonbhadra SP Abhishek Verma said that the operation has been called off after 100 per cent verification of no one being trapped under the debris.

A total of seven bodies were recovered during the three-day rescue operation, which began on November 15.

"We are calling off the rescue operation after 100 per cent verification that there are no traces of anyone being stuck there. Seven bodies have been recovered. This was a very difficult operation because the boulder was very large. We created a separate pathway. Today, we are completing a big operation with the collaboration of every team," SP Abhishek Verma said.

Sonbhadra District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh said the recovered bodies have been identified and handed over to the families.

"We have recovered seven bodies. Their post-mortem identification has been done and the families of the victims have been informed. According to the NDRF team, there's no possibility of anyone being alive or dead there," Singh said.

The incident occurred when a section of the mine caved in, trapping around 15 workers beneath the rubble. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed for an intensive rescue operation that began soon after the collapse.

Heavy machinery and specialised personnel were used to remove debris. The rescue teams had to create a separate pathway to go around the boulder that blocked the access point.

The police have registered an FIR against the company owner and other people related to the company based on the complaints of the victim's family. Further investigation is underway.

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