A backhoe machine operator was crushed to death and three other workers were injured when a heavy mound of earth with rock boulders collapsed on a group of workers engaged in construction work connected with the Kalu Ganga reservoir project in the Laggala area around 9 am yesterday.This project is handled by a Chinese company.
The large mound of earth had collapsed because it had got loosened due to rock blasting work done on the hillock above the previous day.
Another worker who was repairing a backhoe machine after creeping under it had also got caught in the landslide and it had been difficult to extricate him since the entire backhoe machine is covered by debris including rock parts. The trapped employee had given a call from his mobile phone to fellow workers at the site requesting them to rescue him. The people engaged in rescue operations had bored a hole through the debris to the place he is trapped to pump oxygen for his survival until he is taken out. Two others engaged in loading earth to a truck who were injured have been hospitalized.
The Army and Police STF personnel are engaged in the operation to rescue the trapped worker.
