7 labourers die after machine collapses in Vijayapura

Authorities, including the police, SDRF and NDRF, successfully recovered the bodies of seven workers who were trapped under maize sacks, after massive tanks collapsed due to overload.

Seven labourers from Bihar died after a gigantic processing machine collapsed, trapping them under a heap of about 100 tonnes of corn, at a private food processing unit in Vijayapura, police said on Tuesday.

According to police, the incident took place at around 4.30 pm on Monday.

According to police, the incident took place at around 4.30 pm on Monday. While the rescue operation went on for 17-hour, that concluded on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities, including the police, SDRF and NDRF, successfully recovered the bodies of seven workers who were trapped under maize sacks, after massive tanks collapsed due to overload.

The victims have been identified as Kishan Kumara (22), Dalan Makhia (42), Rajesh Kumar (25), Shambhu Mukhia (26), Ramji Mukhia (29), Ram Balak (52), and Luko Jadhav (45), all from Bihar, the officers said.

Vijayapura Circle inspector Matapathi said, “Around 50 labourers were working in the processing unit when the accident took place. We have recovered seven bodies and rescued four workers.” A case has been registered against the food processing unit owner Kishore Jain and manager Saurabh under sections 304 A (causing death by negligence), 338 (causing grievous hurt by negligence), and 287 (negligent conduct with machinery) of the Indian Penal Code, he added.

District in-charge minister M B Patil, along with other officials, visited the spot to console the relatives of the deceased workers. Other workers, along with the kin of the deceased workers, demanded justice and fair compensation for the victims, recalling a past incident where no compensation was provided for two such deaths. Workers sought a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, threatening not to permit the removal of the bodies until their demands were met.

Patil, who tried to pacify the workers, assured a compensation of ₹2 lakh by the state government to family of each of the victim, and ₹50,000 to those injured. He said, “The unit owner Kishore Jain has promised to provide ₹5 lakh each to the family of the deceased workers and ₹2 lakh to those injured.” The bodies of the workers will be airlifted to Bihar, he said, adding that autopsies were conducted at a district government hospital before handing over the bodies to the relatives.