Mine owner and manager convicted

Katnai, MP, Oct 5: A local court has sentenced a mine owner and its manager to two years' rigorous imprisonment and fined them Rs 5,000 each in connection with drowning of eight children in pit near a mine in Madhav Nagar area of the town.

According to prosecution, several children jumped into a pit filled with water near a bauxite mine on September 6, 2003 but eight of them drowned.
Judicial Magistrate Prakash Chandra rejected the plea that fencing around the mine had been stolen. The court observed that the pit, which had become 2.5 feet deep after digging, should have been filled up.

The court convicted mine owner firm's partner Jayant Lakshmidas and manager B M Prasad under the Mines Act.

UNI