At least six workers are feared dead and 3 others injured in an accident at a stone mine at Bahadurpur of Nalhati in Birbhum district, West Bengal today.
The miners, working at the site, got trapped inside due to a landslide this afternoon. Twelve men were reported stranded. Miners from nearby sites and police came to rescue. As the last news came in, rescue operation is ongoing at the site. The injured are being treated at the Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital.
The incident occurred in Bahadurpur village of Birbhum district where the workers fell under heavy rocks at the quarry today afternoon, people in the know said.
A huge police contingent from the Nalhati Police Station reached the spot after the incident at the stone quarry.
Eyewitness said that the labourers were removing the stones from the quarry on Friday noon, when suddenly a portion of the quarry collapsed. “The labourers did not get the chance to come out following a sudden collapse of the quarry.
There were around 12 workers in the quarry and all got buried. Upon receiving the news, workers from other stone quarries in the area reached the spot almost immediately and started rescuing,” a local eyewitness told media persons.
The injured workers were rushed to the local Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. Later, two labourers were shifted to Burdwan Medical College as their health conditions deteriorated. An investigation into the incident is underway by police.
It is yet to be ascertained if the crusher bed operated with a valid license. However, the locals claimed that illegal mining was rampant in the region.