After Months of Efforts, Death’s ‘Black Pit’ Finally Emptied; Driver’s Skeleton Found 90 Feet Below in Truck

Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh – After months of relentless efforts, the body of Anil Kushwaha, a truck driver who tragically drowned in a collapsed coal mine pit, was recovered on January 6, 2026. His body, which had remained submerged for 87 days, had turned into a skeleton due to prolonged exposure to water and mud.

The incident took place on October 11, 2025, in the closed Amli Open Cast Mine (OCM) located under the Dhanpuri police station area in the Shahdol district. Anil Kushwaha, employed by the SECL (South Eastern Coalfields Limited) subcontractor RKTC, was driving a tripper truck to dump earth at the site when heavy rainfall caused the soil to collapse, plunging both the truck and Anil into the mine’s 90-feet-deep pit filled with water and sludge.

Rescue Operations Fail to Yield Immediate Results

Despite efforts by various rescue teams, including the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), SDRF (State Disaster Response Force), and the Indian Army, the body could not be retrieved. The mine was filled with millions of liters of muddy water, making rescue operations extremely challenging. The rescue teams continued draining water from the site for months. After nearly three months of persistent efforts, the SDRF team finally recovered Anil’s body, which had become a skeletal remains due to the extended period spent submerged.

Two Other Workers Injured

The tragic accident also injured two other workers employed by the RKTC company. The collapse involved a bulldozer machine, a tripper truck, and the truck driver, Anil Kushwaha, all of which were engulfed by the muddy waters.

Despite days of exhaustive efforts, the rescue teams had to abandon their mission shortly after the incident due to the challenging conditions. However, after continued water drainage, the SDRF team resumed their search and successfully recovered the remains of Anil on January 6, 2026.

Delayed Legal Actions and Controversy Over Death Certificate

Anil’s family has raised concerns over several aspects of the incident. Notably, his death certificate was issued nearly two months before his body was recovered, despite the fact that the postmortem had yet to take place. The family filed a petition in the Madhya Pradesh High Court regarding the matter, which is still under review.

Additionally, nearly 48 days after the incident, the Dhanpuri police registered a case against six officials from SECL and RKTC for violating safety protocols and neglecting the protection of workers’ lives. These included senior officials from SECL like Mining Overseer Ayodhya Patel, Engineer Neelkamal Rajak, and Supervisor Munish Yadav, among others. However, labor unions and the victim’s family have criticized the authorities for not taking action against more influential officials involved in the incident.

The body of Anil Kushwaha was handed over to his family on January 7, 2026, after a postmortem was conducted.