VIJAYAPURA: At least eight persons are feared dead after a huge pile of corn bags fell upon them in a private warehouse in the industrial area of the city on Monday.
The incident took place on December 4 evening when hundreds of corn bags kept in the warehouses fell on the labourers working in the warehouse. All the workers are reported to be natives of Bihar.
Five of the deceased have been identified as Rajesh Mukhiya (25), Rambrij Mukhiya (29), Shambhu Mukhiya (26), Ram Balak (52) and Lakhu (45). Rescue operations began at 6pm Monday.
District in-charge Minister MB Patil, who rushed to the spot in the early hours of Tuesday from Belagavi where he was attending the assembly session, told mediapersons that the work of retrieving the bodies is underway.
He said that no exact number is available. However, he said that according to a rough estimate at least eight persons were trapped.
Describing it as a very tragic incident, he said that the workers were from another state.
"The priority is now to retrieve the bodies and get an autopsy performed and send the bodies to their respective states by contacting the local administration," Patil said.
He said it is not possible to tell the exact reason for the incident now as the probe has to be conducted.
"If the owner of the warehouse is at fault then it will also be checked and action would be taken as per the law," he said.
He added that he has already informed the Chief Minister about the incident.
"Despite the fact that the workers are from another state, on humanitarian grounds, we will try to get some financial aid to the families of the victims. At the same time, the owner too has the responsibility to give compensation. In that regard also efforts will be made to get compensation to the victims," Patil said.
To a question, he said one person was saved and he is undergoing treatment for injuries but out of danger.
On reports that a similar incident took place in the same warehouse in the past and two persons had died then but the case was hushed up, the Minister said that an inquiry will be conducted and no one at fault will be spared.