By Riaz Narijo
DADU: Three coal miners died after inhaling toxic gas inside a mining shaft at Lakhra Coal Mines near Manjhand on Saturday, prompting protests by local residents and workers over repeated safety lapses.
The deceased were identified as Shoukat Pathan, Kamran Pathan, and Siraj Pathan, all residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Police said the men were engaged in routine mining when the shaft filled with poisonous gas, leaving them unconscious.
Fellow miners carried out rescue efforts, pulling the bodies from the shaft and transporting them to a nearby hospital. Authorities said legal formalities were underway.
Workers at the site accused the Balochistan Coal Company of negligence, claiming that accidents had become “routine” due to repeated safety lapses. They alleged that despite several fatalities in recent months, no preventive measures had been implemented.
Tension gripped the area as residents and mine workers expressed anger over the deaths, demanding accountability from the mine operators and stricter enforcement of safety regulations.
