9 killed as boulder collapses at stone quarry on outskirts of Bengaluru
The victims, mostly migrant workers from Bihar and Assam employed as daily-wage labourers at a stone crusher unit, died on the spot, while several others were injured and rushed to a nearby private hospital.
Nine workers were killed after a massive granite boulder collapsed inside a stone quarry on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Thursday, trapping labourers working at the site beneath tonnes of rock.
The victims, mostly migrant workers from Bihar and Assam employed as daily-wage labourers at a stone crusher unit in Madapatna on the Bengaluru Urban-Bengaluru South border, died on the spot, while several others were injured and rushed to a nearby private hospital.
According to police, the workers were inside a quarry pit when a huge rock, reportedly being moved from the top of the quarry using a tractor, came crashing down on them.
The impact mangled loading vehicles and shattered a tractor at the site. Rescue teams and police launched an operation to clear the debris and search for any workers who may still have been trapped.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed grief over the incident and said quarry owners were duty-bound to ensure workers' safety, warning that the government would take strict action against operators found violating safety norms.
The tragedy has also reignited allegations of illegal quarrying in the area. Yeshwanthpur MLA ST Somashekar claimed he had repeatedly flagged illegal mining activities at the site and demanded action against those responsible, alleging officials from the police, forest and mining departments had failed to curb violations.
Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse and whether negligence or violations of mining and safety regulations contributed to the accident. Efforts are also underway to inform the families of the deceased workers.
Nine workers were killed after a massive granite boulder collapsed inside a stone quarry on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Thursday, trapping labourers working at the site beneath tonnes of rock.
The victims, mostly migrant workers from Bihar and Assam employed as daily-wage labourers at a stone crusher unit in Madapatna on the Bengaluru Urban-Bengaluru South border, died on the spot, while several others were injured and rushed to a nearby private hospital.
According to police, the workers were inside a quarry pit when a huge rock, reportedly being moved from the top of the quarry using a tractor, came crashing down on them.
The impact mangled loading vehicles and shattered a tractor at the site. Rescue teams and police launched an operation to clear the debris and search for any workers who may still have been trapped.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed grief over the incident and said quarry owners were duty-bound to ensure workers' safety, warning that the government would take strict action against operators found violating safety norms.
The tragedy has also reignited allegations of illegal quarrying in the area. Yeshwanthpur MLA ST Somashekar claimed he had repeatedly flagged illegal mining activities at the site and demanded action against those responsible, alleging officials from the police, forest and mining departments had failed to curb violations.
Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse and whether negligence or violations of mining and safety regulations contributed to the accident. Efforts are also underway to inform the families of the deceased workers.
