Death Toll in Sonbhadra Mine Accident Rises to 7; Families to Get ₹20 Lakh Compensation, DM Fined ₹10,000

Sonbhadra, UP: The death toll in the tragic stone mine collapse in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, has risen to seven. The state government has announced financial assistance of ₹20 lakh for the families of the deceased. Meanwhile, the District Magistrate of Sonbhadra has been fined ₹10,000 by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for delay in reporting illegal mining activities.

The incident occurred at the Billi Markundi mining area under Obra police station, where a section of the hill collapsed on Saturday evening, trapping several laborers working below. On Monday, six more bodies were recovered from the debris, bringing the total fatalities to seven. The victims recovered on 16–17 November include Indrajeet (30), Santosh (30), Ravindra (18), Ram Khelawan (32), and Kripashankar, while Raju Singh (30) was recovered on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma stated that an FIR has been lodged against the mine owner and three others, and special teams have been formed to ensure their arrest. NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in ongoing rescue and relief operations.

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and district in-charge Ravindra Jaiswal visited Sonbhadra on Monday, met with the families of the deceased, and expressed condolences. He stated that a three-tier investigation will be conducted by the police, mining department, and district administration to determine any negligence or illegal practices.

The minister further announced that the government will provide approximately ₹20 lakh in financial assistance to the bereaved families through various funds.

In a related development, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on the District Magistrate for failing to submit a timely report on illegal mining. The NGT bench, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Srivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel, noted that a joint committee was formed in April, with the DM as the nodal agency. The committee was tasked with investigating illegal mining claims, midstream mining allegations, and environmental clearance compliance, and submit a report by 23 June.