Five die, 2 injured as Kalahandi quarry caves in

The Pioneer, 20th May, 2008
Pioneer News Service Bhawanipatna

In a tragic incident, five persons were killed and two severely injured at Pipaldigra village under Degur panchayat in Kalahandi district on Monday as the quarry, in which they were digging gravel, caved in.
The deceased were identified as Bhuban Goud (30), Bhagaban Majhi (30), Jagabandhu Jal (33), Krushna Goud (25) and Mamata Puti.
Sources said a contractor, Manoj Padhee, of Degur village took 13 labourers in two tractors to Pipaldigra rock to dig gravel for construction of the Khairamal village road. The labourers, at the time of digging gravel, came under a massive landslide and died on the spot.
After hearing about the tragedy, the villagers, along with the local sarpanh and police, rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies. Three injured labourers, Bada Majhi, Kshirasindhu Goud and Mamata Puti, were rushed to the district headquarters hospital, where Mamata died.
Former Minister and BJD district president Kiran Chandra Singh Deo, on reaching the spot, helped in the rescue operation and requested the Collector, SP and BDO over telephone to provide Government assistance to the families of the deceased and free medical treatment to the injured. The Collector announced ex-gratia of Rs 10, 000 to each family of the deceased.
The police registered a case of unnatural death. Police sources said legal action would be taken against the contractor.