One dead, several fear trapped as UP’s Sonbhadra stone quarry collapses; FIR filed against operating firm

Upon receiving information about the incident, officials rushed to the spot and called in specialised rescue teams, which immediately began efforts to pull out the trapped labourers. Several residents also rushed to the site as news of the collapse spread.The person killed in the incident was identified as Raju Singh Gaur, a resident of Parsoi village in Sonbhadra. According to sources, his identity was confirmed after rescue personnel dialled numbers from the mobile phone recovered from his pocket.According to Piyush Mordia, Additional Director General, Varanasi Zone, due to the large size of the stones, extreme caution was necessary while removing the debris in an open-pit mine.As per local sources, the incident occurred while drilling work was underway to prepare holes for blasting inside the mine. Suddenly, one side of the quarry wall allegedly collapsed, sending debris plunging nearly 150 feet. Several workers were trapped beneath it, they added.Superintendent of Police, Sonbhadra, Abhishek Verma, said that around 4.30 pm on Saturday, the Obra police station received information that some workers were buried under rocks and debris after a portion of a stone quarry at Krishna Mining Works in the Billi Markundi area collapsed.Meanwhile, an FIR was lodged at the Obra police station against the firm – Krishna Mines – operating the quarry and its two partners, based on a complaint filed by local resident Chhotu Yadav, who was also working at the site.According to police, Chhotu stated that he and his two brothers, Indrajeet Yadav (31) and Santosh Yadav (29), were working in the mine. On 15 November, they were operating a compressor machine when a large portion of the quarry allegedly collapsed.He alleged that the incident occurred because the mine owners and their partners – Madhusudan Singh and Dilip Kesari – failed to follow mining safety guidelines.However, no arrests have been made so far, with police officials claiming that efforts were underway to trace the accused.



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