by Chandan Pal
Dhanbad: A sudden land subsidence rocked Jharia late Friday night, as a parked 407 four-wheeler was dramatically swallowed by the ground near Indira Chowk on Sindri Main Road, setting off panic in the area.
The vehicle, said to belong to Mohammad Riyaz — a local parts shop owner — had been parked unattended for several days. Around midnight, the ground beneath it suddenly caved in with a loud thud, pulling the heavy four-wheeler into a deep pit within seconds. Alarmed residents rushed to the scene, fearing a repeat of previous disasters.
Jharia Police Station in-charge Shashi Ranjan Kumar quickly arrived with his team, secured the area, and alerted the district administration and BCCL officials. Security has been tightened and surveillance increased at the site.
This incident has once again brought to light the dangerous reality of land subsidence in Jharia — a coal belt long plagued by underground fires and unstable terrain. Residents remain haunted by a 2017 tragedy, barely 100 meters from this spot, where a father and son were lost to a similar sinkhole and never found.
“Every time the ground shakes or cracks, we fear the worst,” said a local resident, demanding that the administration conduct an urgent geological survey and relocate at-risk families before another disaster strikes.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported in this latest incident. However, the event underscores the urgent need for preemptive action and permanent resettlement solutions in the hazard-prone Jharia region.
