Two dead in Sonbhadra stone quarry collapse, efforts on to rescue 9 trapped

“We have recovered two bodies so far. We suspect that around nine more people are still trapped inside. The rescue operation is underway,”a senior district administrative official said on Sunday.

Rescue teams from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police are involved in the operation.

“The debris is being cleared. But due to the large size of stones, extreme caution is being taken while clearing the debris in the open-pit mine,” Additional Director General (Varanasi Zone) Piyush Mordia said.

“All necessary equipment for the operation is available,” the officer added.

A local labourer told mediapersons that one side of the quarry wall collapsed, sending debris plunging nearly 150 feet. “Several workers were trapped beneath it,” he added.

One of the deceased has been identified as Raju Singh Gaur, a resident of Parsoi village in Sonbhadra district.

While the DM stated that an inquiry will be conducted into the incident, the police have registered an FIR against the owner of the private firm, Krishna Mining Works, which operates the stone quarry, and his two partners.

The FIR was registered on a complaint lodged by one Chhotu Yadav, who has alleged that his brothers – Indrajeet (31) and Santosh (29) – were among the victims.

In his complaint, Yadav, who also worked in the quarry, alleged that the mine owners and their partners, Madhusudan Singh and Dilip Kesari, failed to follow mining safety guidelines. He claimed that the necessary safety equipment was neither available nor used, leading to gross negligence that resulted in the death of his brothers.

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