KOCHI: A 48-year-old man died in an accident at a stone mining quarry in Pindimana panchayat, Kothamangalam, in Ernakulam district on Wednesday.
According to police and residents in the area, the accident occurred at a quarry used by the firm Chaithanya at around 7.30 am. "After the explosion for mining stones, employees have to climb the rock using a rope to clear the separated stone. As Biju was climbing the rock, he slipped and fell to the ground," a police official at Kothamangalam police station told The New Indian Express.
The deceased was identified as Biju Kumbakal, a native of Vadatupara, who was residing in a rented house in Pindimana in Ernakulam.
Police said Biju was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but he was declared brought dead. The body has been shifted to a mortuary and will be handed over to relatives after the post-mortem procedure, police said.
He is survived by his wife Shiny and two young children. Police have registered a case. They are also probing failure on the part of the company to adhere to the safety measures, leading to the accident.
A police team has been appointed to check the accident spot and give a report regarding the accident.
This is the second accident at a quarry site in Kerala in as many days. On Monday, a major explosion took place at a stone quarry in Thrissur district, killing one person and injuring five others.