DHARMAPURI: A 55-year-old farmer died in a mudslide near Thirumalavadi village near Papparapatti on Friday, and his body was recovered after a 12-hour search on Saturday morning.
Due to the rains, the mud around an open well collapsed, and the deceased, R Murugan (55), fell into the well and was buried alive, according to official sources.
According to fire staff, "Murugan and two of his relatives were involved in the construction of a small three- to four-foot wall so that people don't accidentally stumble upon the open well on his land.
At 5 pm, his relatives left for a small break and returned to find that a portion of the wall and mud under it had collapsed and Murugan was missing. They immediately contacted the police and the fire department. Despite four hours of searching, they were unable to locate him. Due to poor visibility at night, the search was called off.
The search resumed on Saturday morning and at around 10:30 am, his body was recovered. The Forest staff have advised farmers to stay clear of open wells, as the soggy mud could lead to an accidental fall or mudslide. Meanwhile, the Papparapatti police have registered a case and are investigating the death.