Dhanbad: Four workers reported dead after underpass collapses

According to some eyewitnesses, the incident happened after the passage of a goods train. A huge chunk of earth slipped and fell on the labourers who were working 10 feet below the railway tracks.

Dhanbad (Jharkhand):Four people died in a mudslide that took place at an underpass construction site near Pradhankhanta railway station in Dhanbad. Altogether, six labourers were buried alive while they were working near an under-construction underpass under the Dhanbad railway division of the East Central Railway on late Tuesday night. Two others were earlier rescued.

The incident happened at Chhatakuli village near Pradhankhanta railway station under the Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway. After the receipt of the information, DRM Ashish Bansal, RPF assistant commandant and senior officials from Government Railway Police (GRP) rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. The top brass from the rail administration had to face the wrath of the protesting villagers and they were stopped from visiting the mishap site.

According to some eyewitnesses, the incident happened after the passage of a goods train. A huge chunk of earth slipped and fell on the labourers who were working 10 feet below the railway tracks. The DRM had given instructions to carry out a rescue operation. Senior DCM Akhilesh Pandey said the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.

A team has been constituted to find out the reason. The action will be taken against whosoever is found guilty. The deceased labourers have been identified as Niranjan Mahato, Pappu Kumar Mahato, Vikram Kumar Mahato and Saurabh Kumar Dhivar, said police.

Meanwhile, protesters sat on a dharna and demanded compensation to the next of the kin of deceased. Hence, talks were held with senior railway officials on Tuesday night itself. Railway officials said that protesting villagers were not unanimous on their stand, therefore, outcome of the talks remained inconclusive. Again on Wednesday morning, negotiations resumed. It has been learnt from the sources that the dependents of the deceased will be given government jobs as well as ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the victims' kin.