4 villagers buried alive as earth caves in while digging white soil

 

 

IN a heart-wrenching incident, four villagers including three women were killed when a major portion of white clay they were digging suddenly caved in on them on Wednesday evening near forested Banjaridand under Khadgawan block in Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district. However, life of a seven-year-old girl could be saved due to promptness of the police.

As per the police sources, the deceased have been identified as Puja Gond, daugther of Ran Singh Gond, a resident of Pontedand; Ramsundar, son of Ramdas, a resident of Pontedand; Manmati, wife of Shivkumar Gond, a resident of Gadhtar and Meera Bai wife of Amar Singh of Gadhtar. The mishap occured when a big portion of the earth caved in while they were digging the white soil. All of them were trapped under the debris and died on the spot. On receiving information, a team of local police reached the spot and retrieved the bodies. The bodies have been sent for postmortem. Further investigation is under way. If sources are to be believed, an illegal white clay mine is operational near the Lohandia river located on Mauharipara road of Gram Panchayat Gadtar under Khadgawan block of the district. On Wednesday evening, some people from the nearby villagers had gone there to dig white soil. At around 6 in the evening, suddenly a portion of earth caved in, burying five people under the debris of rocks and soil. Other people present there called for help. Hearing the noise, a large number of villagers reached the spot. Meanwhile, a team of Khadgwan Police also reached the spot and rescue operation was launched by excavating the white soil with the help of JCB. During the operation, a total of four bodies including three of women were taken out whereas one seven-year-old girl could be taken out safely. On receiving information, local MLA Ambika Singhdeo and Zila Panchayat President Renuka Singh also reached the spot. MLA Ambika Singhdeo confirmed that 35 to 40 people were extracting white soil from the mine when the mishap occured, claiming four lives. However, a girl was taken out safe. The girl is absolutely fine and she has been sent home.

Tehsildar Sameer Sharma, while giving information about the whole incident, said that it was like an earthen mound, which people were digging and getting lime-like substance from the bottom. The top soil caved in, in which four people died. Rescue operation was carried out on the spot and bodies of all the four including three women were taken out. The bodies have been sent to the district hospital for the postmortem. Khadgawan Station House Officer Vijay Singh told that he received information that some people were buried under debries of white clay near a Mauharipara nullah in Banjaridand. He along with team reached the spot and called the JCB operator. First, a girl child was taken out safely. Later, four bodies were taken out and sent to the District Hospital, Baikuthpur.