Three Killed in Landslide at Illegal Mine in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: In a tragic incident, at least three persons lost their lives in a landslide at an illegal manganese mine in Joda area of Odisha’s Keonjhar district late Tuesday night. The mishap occurred in the Bichakundi forest under Joda police limits, following incessant rainfall that triggered the collapse.

The deceased have been identified as Kande Munda, Guru Champia, and Sandeep Poorti — all residents of Bichakundi village. According to sources, the trio had entered the site allegedly to steal iron ore when a section of the illegal mine gave way, burying them under the debris. While other members of the alleged smuggling group reportedly fled the scene, the three were trapped and could not escape.

Rescue operations were launched by forest and police officials after receiving information about the incident. However, continuous heavy rains hampered the efforts, and it took nearly six hours to retrieve the bodies. The deceased were taken to Tata Steel Hospital for postmortem examination.

The incident has reignited concerns over rampant illegal mining and mineral theft in the industrial belt of Keonjhar. Despite repeated crackdowns, illegal extraction of iron and manganese ore continues to thrive in the region. As of the time of reporting, the Mining Department has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.