Four L&T workers dead after landslide at mine in Dantewada

The incident took place at around 2.30 pm, when a total of 14 workers were making a retaining wall in the SP-3 area of National Mineral Development Corporation’s (NMDC) mine.

The deceased were identified as Bittu Bala and Nirmal Balla, both residents of West Bengal. Those still trapped were Tushar Bala, from West Bengal, and Santosh Kumar Das, from Bihar. (File)

Four workers died when a landslide struck as they were building a retaining wall inside an iron ore mine at Kirandul complex in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident took place at around 2.30 pm, when a total of 14 workers were making a retaining wall in the SP-3 area of National Mineral Development Corporation’s (NMDC) mine.

The NDMC had outsourced the work to Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The deceased were working for L&T.

After the landslide from the hill where the wall was being made, 10 workers were rescued, while four got trapped under the debris. Initially, the bodies of two were found and operations were underway to locate the other two men.

The deceased have been identified as Bittu Bala (26), Tushar Bala (49) and Nirmal Bala (56), residents of West Bengal, and Santosh Kumar Das (29) of Bihar. Sources said that while it was not clear why the landslide took place, prima facie, it seems like the incident may have taken place due to weakened soil on the hill. The local Kirandul police station has registered a case of accidental death and further probe is on to find out if anyone’s negligence led to the incident.

Dantewada collector Mayank Chaturvedi said a magisterial inquiry will be conducted.

With PTI inputs

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