Rajasthan Lift Collapse: Senior Official Of Hindustan Copper Ltd Dies, 14 Rescued From Copper Mine In Jhunjhunu

Jaipur: A senior vigilance officer at Hindustan Copper Limited died in a lift collapse incident at the Kolihan mine in Jhunjhunu Rajasthan on Tuesday night. The lift collapse at the copper mine had trapped 15 persons, including the vigilance team.

Other 14 have been rescued after a 15-hour-long rescue operation.

About The Vigilance Team

Upendra Pandey, Chief Vigilance Officer at Hindustan Copper Limited, was part of the vigilance team from Kolkata that came for an inspection of the mine when the lift crashed at around 577 meters. Pandey's body has been taken out of the mine.

The officials who were trapped included Khetri Copper Complex unit head GD Gupta and Kolihan Mine's Deputy General Manager AK Sharma. A journalist who had entered the mine as a photographer with the vigilance team was also trapped.

The Rescue Operation

According to officials, the rescue operation lasted for about 16 hours. In the first phase, at around 7 am, 3 officers were taken out of the mine, and were referred to Jaipur for treatment. In the second phase, five officers were taken out at around 9 am while the rest were rescued in the last phase.

Earlier, an eight-member team comprising doctors and nurses was sent inside the mine through the exit gate to provide medical help to those trapped.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma had taken cognizance of the incident and asked officials to speed up the rescue efforts.

“Information was received about the accident caused by the breakage of the lift rope in the Kolihan mine of Hindustan Copper Limited in Khetri, Jhunjhunu. The concerned officials have been instructed to immediately reach the spot and speed up the relief and rescue operations and provide all possible help and health facilities to the affected,” he said.