Ranchi, Feb 7 (IANS): Five women extracting coal from a closed down colliery were killed when the roof of the mine collapsed in Jharkhand's Bokaro district Tuesday, police sources said.
According to police, eight to 10 women were extracting coal from a decommissioned mine situated near Pem Pahari of Bokaro district, around 130 km from Ranchi.
The roof of the mine collapsed and the women got trapped. The police recovered one body while villagers extricated four more bodies. The police later recovered two of the bodies from the family members.
"We are trying to trace the other two bodies taken away by the family members," a police source told IANS.
The villagers escaped with the bodies fearing police action. Extracting coal from closed down mines is illegal.
In Jharkhand, hundreds of people extract coal illegally from closed mines and many have died in the past in accidents.