BANGALORE: A labourer digging a ditch for an underground BWSSB drainage lost his life after earth caved in on him and a co-worker here on Friday.
Police said Usman (30), the deceased and Saleem alias Ismail (28) were digging a ditch at Nelluralli in Whitefield when the accident occured at around 3 pm.
The BWSSB has given contract to a private infrastructure company for laying the pipeline and the engineer and contractors were not at the work site. Usman and Saleem were in a 10-feet ditch and the wet mud collapsed on them. The locals noticed the accident and alerted fire and emergency personnel who rushed to the spot. They rescued Saleem, who had suffered severe injuries, after a one-and-hal-hour operation. However, they found Usman had suffocated to death under the debris. Neither the company nor the contractors had taken any precautionary measures during the work, said police.
Satish, an engineer with BWSSB, told Express that about 75 km UGD work is being constructed and said the accident occurred due to wet mud. Ramky Infrastructure Limited, which has taken the contract, assured the victim’s family that they would be compensated for their loss. The Labourers’ Welfare Association has also assured the family compensation.