14 Rescued from Jhunjhunu Copper Mine, One Officer Dies

Jhunjhunu – In a tragic accident at Hindustan Copper Limited’s Kolihan (Khetri) mine in Rajasthan, 14 out of 15 trapped officers and employees have been rescued. Chief Vigilance Officer Upendra Pandey has been confirmed dead. Eight injured officers have been admitted to Manipal Hospital in Jaipur, where their condition is reported to be stable.

The rescue operation began on Wednesday morning and was conducted in four rounds. In the first round, three injured individuals were brought to Jaipur. The second round saw five more injured admitted to Manipal Hospital. Dr. Puneet Yadav stated that none of the injured sustained head injuries, though some have leg fractures. A medical bulletin will be issued to provide a detailed update on their condition.

The incident occurred on the evening of May 14, when the Vigilance team, including KCC Chief, descended into the mine. The lift chain broke at a depth of 1,875 feet at around 8 PM, trapping the team and other personnel. Immediate rescue efforts were launched, involving local authorities and specialized teams.

The Kolihan mine accident has underscored the risks associated with mining operations and prompted a review of safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.

These people were trapped in mines:

• GD Gupta, Unit Head, KCC
• Upendra Pandey, Chief Vigilance Officer, Delhi
• AK Sharma, Deputy General Manager, Mines
• Vinod Singh Shekhawat, Senior Manager, Electrical
• AK Baira, Assistant Deputy General Manager, Mechanical
• Arnav Bhandari, Chief Manager, Mines
• Yashoraj Meena, Assistant Deputy General Manager
• Vanendu Bhandari, Assistant Deputy General Manager, Vigilance
• Vikas Pareek, Photographer
• Niranjan Sahu, Senior Manager, Research
• Karan Singh Gehlot, Security Officer
• Ramesh Narayan Singh, Senior Manager, Mines
• Pritam Singh, Manager
• Harsiram
• Bhagiratha