Local party chief probed after 82 killed in Chinese mining tragedy

A party chief in the northern coal-rich Chinese ​province of Shanxi is ‌under investigation over “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, the local ​anti-graft agency said on ​Tuesday, after a mining tragedy last ⁠month that killed at least ​82.

Zhao Yongjin, the top official ​of Qinyuan county, “is currently undergoing disciplinary review and a supervisory investigation by ​the provincial discipline inspection ​and supervision commission,” a statement showed.

An initial ‌probe ⁠into the deadliest mining accident in China since 2009 has uncovered concealed mining tunnels, ​falsified drawings ​and ⁠outsourced and unregistered miners, who had not been ​provided with required life-saving ​location ⁠trackers.

The government has pledged to leave no stone unturned in ⁠rooting ​out the cause ​of the incident.

(By Xiuhao Chen and ​Ryan Woo; Editing by Gareth Jones)