THREE labourers were killed after a deep excavation trench collapsed during a sewer pipeline expansion project being undertaken by the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) near DAV School in Dalli Rajhara on Tuesday evening. The tragic incident occurred at around 5 pm when labourers were working inside a deep pit dug for laying underground sewer pipelines. According to preliminary information, the walls of the excavation suddenly caved in, trapping three workers beneath tonnes of soil. Police and BSP officials rushed to the spot soon after receiving information about the mishap. Rescue operations were launched immediately with the help of local residents and heavy machinery.

 

After prolonged efforts, the trapped workers were pulled out from the debris, but doctors declared all three dead. The deceased have been identified as Kishun Kumar, Rakesh Kumar and Baisakhin, a woman labourer engaged in the project work. The incident sparked outrage among local residents, who alleged serious negligence and lack of adequate safety measures at the work site. Eyewitnesses claimed that labourers were made to work inside the deep trench without proper protective arrangements despite the hazardous conditions. Tension prevailed in the area for some time following the accident as a large number of people gathered near the site demanding accountability from the authorities concerned.