Seven people were killed and several others injured after an explosion in a mine in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday afternoon. More people are feared to be trapped under debris. Officials said explosives stored in a room at the Rasprehari mining area in Obra town went off, causing the collapse.

Sonbhadra has had several mining tragedies in the past. Activists have pointed out that there are several illegal mines in the area, where locals work in dangerous and unsupervised conditions. In 2012, four policemen were suspended for negligence after 10 people were killed in illegal mines in the district.