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This is an archive article published on August 2, 2023

4 workers trapped after retaining wall of farm well caves in

Officials said that the incident took place sometime before 6 pm on Tuesday but came to light only around 8.30 pm on the same night when the family members of the four labourers and other villagers came searching for them

puneA rescue operation is currently underway by the NDRF. (Express Photo)
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National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Thursday morning resumed its search for the four labourers who were trapped under a mass of soil and concrete that moved during the the construction of an inner retaining wall of a well on a farmland in Indapur taluka of Pune district. The search was set to continue throughout the Thursday night and early hours of Friday, officials said, with no sign of the four missing persons, till the last reports came in.

NDRF officials have earlier said there was no possibility of having survivors among those trapped under the debris.

The incident had taken place on Tuesday evening in Mhasaobawadi village in Indapur taluka of Pune district, located around 120 kilometers from Pune City. After requisition from the State Disaster Management Authority and Pune District Disaster Management Officer, an NDRF team was deployed and launched a search operation around 6 am on Wednesday. Till the time the operation was called off around 7 pm in the evening on Wednesday, none of the four labourers had been located.

pune The incident is believed to have taken place sometime before 6 pm but came to light only around 8.30 pm. (Express Photo)

A senior NDRF official said, “The operation resumed on Thursday morning. We initially pumped out the water accumulated inside the well, on one side of the dug up area. After that we will moved to the remaining mound of soil and concrete. The search will continue uninterrupted till the time trapped persons are located.”

Officials said that the incident took place sometime before 6 pm on Tuesday but came to light only around 8.30 pm on the same night when the family members of the four labourers and other villagers came searching for them.

Pune Rural Police have identified the four labourers as Somnath Laxman Gaikwad (34), Javed Akbar Mulani (34), Parshuram Bansilal Chavan (30) and Manoj Maruti Sawant (50). The NDRF has said that the excavation of the soil with earthmovers was a high risk operation considering the loosened mass of soil due to rains.

Deputy Superintendent with Pune Rural Police Ganesh Ingale said, “We are providing all the possible assistance to the NDRF rescuers who have decided to continue the search throughout the night.”

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More

Shubham Tigga is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, presently based in Pune, where he covers the intersections of infrastructure, labor, and the modern economy. His reporting focuses on civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers' unions, providing critical insights into how transit and commercial sectors impact the daily lives of citizens. Expertise & Background Before moving to Pune, he reported extensively from his home state of Chhattisgarh, where he focused on Indigenous (Adivasi) issues, environmental justice, and grassroots struggles in mainland India. This experience gives him a unique lens through which he analyzes the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities. Academic Foundation He is an alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he honed his skills in investigative reporting and ethical journalism. His academic training, combined with his field experience in Central India, allows him to navigate complex socio-economic landscapes with nuance and accuracy. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More


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