According to a report Tuesday from India eNews, Bharat Coking Coal Company chief managing director Partha Bhattcharya suspended the group Monday so teams can commence their examination.

The September 6 blast at inclination No. 17 of Bhatdih mines is believed to have been caused by accumulated methane.

Bhattcharya told the media Tuesday that the suspension is only to ensure the workers do not influence the inquiry. “They have not been found guilty. Action will be taken against the guilty officers after the report is submitted by the probe team,” he said.

Those receiving suspensions were mine manager TK Day, colliery agent BK Pandley, safety officer N Prasad, ventilation officer RP Singh, under-manager RK Singh and under-manager JK Singh, according to the report.

Because the workers have not yet been proven guilty, the Coal Mines Officers’ Association of India is speaking up, calling the move “wrong” because “till now they have not been found guilty by the probe team”.

General secretary Sukhdeo Narayan went on to add: “The association will not be a mute spectator … they cannot be made scapegoats. We will launch agitation to protest the suspension.”

Last weekend, officials said the miners had been working a depth of 460m when an explosion to open a new mining area caused the roof collapse, causing the release of deadly methane gas bringing oxygen levels to almost zero.

While it was initially thought 58 miners were trapped after the collapse, it was discovered that some of the workers did not enter the mine with the group last Wednesday.