After being trapped in a mudslide at the site where they were digging a pond in Pataudi area of Gurugram, three female labourers were killed while four others were critically injured on Tuesday.
The deceased have been identified as Priyanka (29), Kamla alias Kola (35) and Billo (42) while the injured are identified as Beera (45), Bimla (30), Priyanka (30) and Anguri Devi (43), all residents of Darapur village.
All about the incident
Police said that he incident took place around 10:30 am when a mound of mud, around six feet high, fell on eight labourers digging a pond at Darapur village.
It has been reported that the digging activity was being carried out under the MGNREGA, the rural employment scheme.
While seven of them were trapped inside the mound, one Kiran Devi managed to free herself and then raised an alarm and villagers reached the spot.
A rescue operation pulled all the women out, who were then rushed to a government hospital.
Three women were declared brought dead, three seriously injured women were referred to civil hospital in Gurugram and one worker is receiving treatment in Pataudi, police said.
A team of civil defence volunteers, SDM Sandeep Agarwal, ACP Harinder Singh reached the spot to investigate.
Some villagers were also interrogated by the officers. Deputy Commissioner (DC), Gurugram Nishant Kumar Yadav said an inquiry into the matter is underway.
FIR registered against sarpanch
An FIR was registered against the sarpanch and block secretary on the basis of a complaint of Abhimanyu, husband of a victim.
Sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC was slapped against them, police said.
Relatives of the victims accused the village sarpanch and the block secretary of negligence saying that the digging activity was being carried out under the supervision of the village sarpanch.
They said no one was present on the spot and there were no security arrangements.
If there were officers and security arrangements on the spot, the accident would not have happened, thy added.
"A case has been registered and bodies have been handed over to their relatives after post-mortem. Investigation has been started and action would be taken as per the law," said Harinder Singh, ACP, Pataudi.
(With PTI Inputs)
