Ranchi, Sep 12 (IANS) The Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) suspended six officials to prevent them from influencing a probe into the Bhatdih mine tragedy involving the death of 50 miners.

The six suspended officers are T.K. Dey (manager), B.K. Pandey (colliery agent), N. Prasad (safety officer), R.P. Singh (ventilation officer) and R.K. Singh and J.K. Singh (both under-managers).

They were suspended Monday by BCCL chief managing director Partha Bhattcharya.

"The officers have been suspended to ensure that they do not influence the probe. They have not been found guilty. Action will be taken against the guilty officers after the report is submitted by the probe team," Bhattacharya told reporters.

The team has started a probe into the causes of the Sep 6 tragedy.

On that day an explosion took place in inclination number 17 of Bhatdih mines, claiming the lives of 50 miners. The explosion occurred due to accumulation of poisonous methane gas. The miners first fainted after inhaling the poisonous gas and later they were charred to death in the explosion.

The Coal Mines Officers' Association of India (CMOAI) has criticised the BCCL management for suspending the six officers without finding them guilty of the incident.

Reacting to the suspension, CMOAI general secretary Sukhdeo Narayan said: "The decision to suspend the officers is wrong. Till now they have not been found guilty by the probe team.

"The association will not be a mute spectator since the employees were suspended without any charges. They cannot be made scapegoats. We will launch agitation to protest the suspension," he said.