5 dead after rocks cave in at stone quarry site in Tamil Nadu's Mallakottai; probe underway

A probe as been launched following the death of five people at a stone quarry site in Tamil Nadu's Mallakottai.

Updated on: May 20, 2025, 14:52:12 IST

By HT News Desk

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At least five people were killed and two were injured after rocks caved in at a stone quarry site in Tamil Nadu's Sivagangai district on Tuesday. The incident reportedly occurred at the site in Mallakottai near Singampunari.

A probe as been launched following the death of five people at a stone quarry site in Tamil Nadu's Mallakottai. (Representative Image) (PTI)

Police officials cited in a PTI news agency report stated that the bodies of three persons were extricated by the police and fire and rescue personnel after the caved in stones were cleared.

Police further added that two of the workers succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital, taking the death toll to five. The other two critically injured have been admitted to Government Sivagangai Medical College Hospital in Madurai and Government Rajaji Hospital for post-mortem.

Police said they have launched a probe to ascertain the cause of the rock cave in.

As per officials, it remains unclear if overnight rain caused the rocks to cave in or explosives used by the workers in the quarry.

As per a report by the New Indian Express, the five deceased have been identified as - Muruganandham from Odaipatti, Arumugam from Keelavalavu, and Andisamy and Ganeshan from Madurai.

Stone quarries incidents continue across the state

In May 2024, at least four workers were killed in an explosion in a granite quarry in Virudhunagar. As per media reports, the explosions took place in the room where they were stored.

As per Virudhunagar Police Superintendent K Feroze Khan Abdullah, the explosion occurred during the unloading of explosives from a vehicle.

The explosions also resulted in tremors that were felt up to 20 kilometers from the site of the stone quarry.

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