"Totally helpless": Wife of Lijen Magar, deceased mine labourer in Assam's Dima Hasao

Guwahati: The tragic mining accident in Assam's Dima Hasao has left families of the deceased in a state of despair. Junu Pradhan, the grieving wife of 27-year-old Lijen Magar, is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband, the sole breadwinner of their family.
With a two-month-old baby to care for, Junu is uncertain about their future, feeling "totally helpless." "He (Lijen Magar) was the only earning source of our family. I have a 2-month-old child and I don't know what will be our future. I am now totally helpless," Junu Pradhan told ANI.
27-year-old Lijen Magar was among nine workers who were trapped inside the inundated rat-hole coal mine after water entered the mine on January 6.
On January 8, the first body, identified as Ganga Bahadur Shreth from Nepal, was recovered from the flooded rat-hole mine.On January 11, three bodies were recovered, Lijen Magar, 27, from Kalamati village in Umrangso; Khusi Mohan Rai, 57, from Magergaon in Kokrajhar, Assam and Sarat Goyary, 37, from Thailapara in Sonitpur, Assam. The rescue operations are still underway, with five miners still missing.
"That day (January 6) was the first working day of the mine and my husband also went to the mine along with other people. I don't know how we will live. How I will grow my child," Junu Pradhan said.
She stated that she got married to Lijen Magar two years back.
Meanwhile, a joint search and rescue operations are underway at the rat-hole coal mine at 3 Kilo Umrangso area in Assam's Dima Hasao to locate 5 other trapped workers.
"4 bodies have been recovered so far since the joint rescue operation started. The de-watering process continues and the water level is decreasing. Coal India's pumps have been placed here. We will try to rescue the remaining people trapped after de-watering process is completed...," said Inspector NDRF, Roshan Kumar Nath.
The rescue teams of the Indian army, Indian Navy, NDRF and other agencies have retrieved four bodies from the flooded rat-hole mine. 9 workers were trapped inside the mine after water entered into the mine.
On January 8, the first body, identified as Ganga Bahadur Shreth from Nepal, was recovered from the flooded rat-hole mine.
On January 11, three bodies were recovered, Lijen Magar, 27, from Kalamati village in Umrangso; Khusi Mohan Rai, 57, from Magergaon in Kokrajhar, Assam and Sarat Goyary, 37, from Thailapara in Sonitpur, Assam. The rescue operations are still underway, with five miners still missing.
A 12-member special rescue team from Coal India reached the site of the mine collapse in Assam's Dima Hasao on Friday to locate and rescue eight workers who are still trapped underground in the inundated rat-hole mine.
Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the mine collapse in Assam's Dima Hasao district.
"I write to you with deep concern and a heavy heart regarding the tragic incident that occurred on January 6, 2025, at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Dima Hasao district, Assam, where at least 10 coal mine workers are believed to be trapped after water inundated the mine, causing a collapse and flooding the narrow tunnels. As of now, the ongoing rescue operations have entered the fifth consecutive day, but the fate of these miners remains uncertain," the Congress MP wrote in his letter.
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the registration of an FIR and the arrest of one individual in connection with the incident.
In a post on X, Sarma informed, "The police have registered an FIR under Umrangso PS Case No: 02/2025, citing Sections 3(5)/105 BNS, r/w Section 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, to investigate the incident. Prima facie, it appears to be an illegal mine. One Punish Nunisa has been arrested in connection with the case."