Andhra: Six migrant workers killed in granite quarry accident

Ballikurava/Berhampur: Six migrant workers from Odisha were killed and at least three others injured after a massive granite rock fell on them at a quarry in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district on Sunday.

According to the police, the accident occurred around 10.30 am when 10 to 15 workers were engaged in mining works.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the accident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased.

“All victims are from Odisha. We suspect water seepage caused the rock to give way. Forensic teams are investigating,” an Andhra Pradesh Police official said, adding that there were no blasts or seismic activity. Rescue operations were immediately launched, with mining department officials joining the police at the site, he said.A team from Odisha’s Ganjam district went to Bapatla’s Ballikurava area in the neighbouring state to bring back the bodies of the six migrant workers, a senior official said in Berhampur.

CMO Odisha, in a post on X, said, “Chief Minister Shri @MohanMOdisha expressed grief and condoled over the loss of lives of Danda Badatya (father- Abhimanyu Badatya), Banamaal Chehra (father- Bhagwan Chehra), Bhaskar Bisoi (father- Magata Bisoi), Santosh Gowda (father- Pujya Gowda) of Ganjam district and Takuma Dalai (father- Kartik Dalai) and Musa Jan (father- Narshu Jan) of Gajapati district in a tragic accident in Andhra Pradesh.

“He has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to the next of kin of each deceased,” the CMO added.

Ganjam collector Keerthi Vasan V said a team led by the assistant tahasildar, Digapahandi, has proceeded to the accident site to bring back the bodies of the deceased to their native places.

“I have already talked to the Bapatla collector about the accident and the condition of the injured Odia workers,” he said.

The bodies of the deceased workers would be handed over to the Odisha team after conducting post-mortem examinations, he said. “We have made all arrangements from our side to bring the bodies to Odisha,” said the collector. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the tragedy.

“I spoke with officials, instructed them to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured, and ordered a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident,” said Naidu in a release.

YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed sorrow over the accident. “This is truly heart-wrenching. These workers lost their lives while toiling for their families,” said Reddy in a release.

He urged the government to ensure medical care for those injured in the accident and to provide immediate support and assistance to the families of the deceased. An Odisha government official claimed that at least eight Odia workers sustained injuries in the accident, and they were undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Andhra Pradesh.

At least 16 workers were working at the quarry when the rock collapsed, he said. Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo expressed grief over the death of workers in the granite quarry accident.