PALANPUR/AHMEDABAD: Nine labourers, including two women, were buried alive when a heap of excavated mud caved in at a factory construction site in Jasalpur village in Gujarat’s Mehsana on Saturday. The labourers were digging to make an underground water tank when the earth suddenly caved in, official sources said. Three victims were natives of Rajasthan, while the remaining were residents of Dahod district.
Mehsana SP Tarun Duggal confirmed to TOI that nine people died and one labourer survived.Sources said the construction of a factory had been on since 2002. Investigators said a case of negligence will be registered against the factory owner or the contractor.
PM Modi expressed grief over the deaths and announced ex gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel also announced assistance of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. TNN
