Tribune News Service
Mohali, October 9
Two workers were killed and two others injured after earth caved in at an under-construction shopping mall site near the Airport Chowk here this evening. Rescue work was on as one person was suspected to be trapped under the rubble.
Digging sans safety measures: labourers
Around 5 pm, earth caves in from the side following digging work, burying workers at site
As fellow workers rush to rescue those trapped, they too are buried
Interlocking mesh of iron bars at the basement prevents workers from running to safety
Around 20-foot-deep digging done without taking safety measures, claim workers
Mgmt’s role under lens
Incident took place around 5 pm, but management tried to hide it and sought help from admn only two hours later, alleged workers.
Will probe lapses
A thorough probe will be conducted to ascertain whether rules were flouted during the digging process,— Sarabjit Kaur, Mohali SDM
The role of the management has come under the scanner as it allegedly failed to seek help from the administration for nearly two hours.
The deceased have been identified as Shankar Maajhi, 30, and Ravinder Sahni, 28, from Bihar. Shehzad and Dhoni were injured in the incident and shifted to the hospital, said the police.
Jai Nath, a construction worker employed at the site, said the incident took place around 5 pm when earth caved in from the side and workers were buried underneath.
When fellow workers rushed to rescue those trapped, they too were buried. An interlocking mesh of iron bars in the basement prevented the workers from running to safety.
The workers alleged around 20-ft-deep digging was carried out without taking any safety precautions. There was heavy resentment among workers as the management allegedly did not inform anybody about the incident.
The workers reportedly prevented the authorities from removing the bodies from the site.
Mohali SDM Sarabjit Kaur said a thorough probe would be conducted to ascertain whether or were flouted during the digging process.
Earthmovers, fire officials, and ambulances were deployed to rescue the workers. Senior police and administration officials also reached the spot.
DSP City-2 HS Bal said: “Two persons have died while two are injured. The rescue work is still on. The police asked workers to make a count of fellow workers so that no one is left behind.”
The under-construction shopping mall is reportedly owned by Anil Kumar Saraaf and work was being carried out by Sector 82-based firm Suryacon.
