CUTTACK: A 28-year-old labourer died of asphyxiation and two others trying to rescue him became critical after being trapped inside a tunnel dug by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at Mahidas Bazaar of the city on Saturday night.
The deceased has been identified as Ujwal Das of Howdah in West Bengal. The critically injured are Rajesh Mandal (25) and Sangram Sethi (24). While Mandal is undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College, Sethi has been admitted to a private hospital in the city.
According to eyewitness, Ujwal had gone inside the tunnel dug under 10 ft at 9.30 pm but did not return. Sethi and Mandal, who went inside the tunnel to trace Ujwal, too became critical and could not able to come back, The locals rescued Sethi and Mandal and admitted them to hospital.
Later, the contractor, who retrieved the body of Ujwal from the tunnel, tried to conceal it in his car apparently to save himself from the wrath of the angry mob at the spot. However, acting on information, police cornered the contractor while he was moving in his car with body. Police seized the body and arrested the contractor, Ramakanta Swain of Kaupada in Jagatsinghpur, said Biswajit Mohanty, IIC, Lalbag police station.