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4 workers trapped as well’s inner wall caves-in at Indapur
Search and rescue operation by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team that began on Tuesday night was suspended on Wednesday evening with victims still trapped under the debris
Pune: Four labourers were trapped under the debris after the inner wall of an under-construction well caved in at Mhasobawadi in Pune district on Tuesday evening. The search and rescue operation by the police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team that began on Tuesday night was suspended on Wednesday evening with victims still trapped under the debris, said Pune rural police officials.
The rescue operation will resume on Thursday morning.
Police officials said continuous soil erosion and loose boulders falling inside the well disrupted rescue efforts.
The police have identified the victims as Somnath Laxman Gaikwad (35) and Javed Akbar Mulani (35) from Sidhdeshwar Nimbodi village in Baramati tehsil, and Parshuram Bansilal Chavan (30) and Manoj Maruti Sawant (40) from Belwadi in Indapur tehsil.
According to the police, the well-digging work was underway at the farm of Vijay Ambadas Kshirsagar near Kawadewasti in Mhasobawadi in Indapur tehsil since last four months. Kshirsagar had given the project to a contractor, who had deployed four persons for the work. After the completion of digging work, the construction of the inner wall of the well was underway when a portion of the wall collapsed after the soil caved in, trapping the workers underneath the debris.
Anand Bhoite, additional superintendent of police, Pune rural police, said, “The incident came to light only when the family members of the workers alerted the contractor that they have not returned home. Then they all rushed to the construction site.”
The contractor alerted the police about the incident and a team of NDRF rushed to the spot and began rescue operation. A video of the incident has emerged, capturing the intensity of the situation and efforts made to rescue the trapped labourers.
Dilip Pawar, assistant inspector, Bhigwan Police station, said, “As the well is 120 feet wide and 85 feet deep, to clear the debris using machines will take time. Four machines are used to speed up the process.”
