LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Dumka, Mar 10: Two workers engaged in a stone crusher plant in Jamrupani village under Shikaripara police station of the district died on Thursday. The incident happened after they got buried under the pile of stone dust which fell on them while being transported on a lorry.
The deceased workers have been identified as Habibul Sheikh (23) and Mota Kabir Sheikh (28), both belonging to the Pakur district. Their dead bodies were later retrieved from beneath the heap of stone dust and sent for post-mortem.
Eyewitness accounts said that both the victims were taking rest while reposing on the earth when the entire stone dust being carried on a lorry fell on them as the vehicle crossing by their side suddenly overturned owing to the bumpy condition of the pathway.
The stone crusher plant in question is reported to have been owned by one Arvind Bhagat whereas the stone dust was being transported from other crusher plants owned by Lalji Bhagat and Laxman Sah.
The incident, however, is the third of its kind within a month in the Shikaripara police station area of the district which is infamous for illegal mining of stone and coal with the safety of workers going for a toss.
Earlier, one Altaaf Ansari (22), the cleaner of a lorry died after the stone laden lorry he was travelling in drowned in deep water in an abandoned stone quarry situated 150 feet deep from the dilapidated pathway in Manjhladih village on February 17.
Similarly, Mukhtar Sheikh (45) met with the same fate on February 24 after a huge stone sheet fell on him while engaged in drilling works to plant explosives at an illegal stone quarry situated in the vicinity.
“Investigation is on to ascertain whether the stone crusher units both the deceased workers were engaged in, was legal or illegal,” the officer in-charge of the Shikaripara police station Nawal Kishore Singh said adding the process of instituting the FIR was on.
