Three workers of a steel plant in Toranagal, Bellary, drowned when water was suddenly released in the tunnel while they were conducting an inspection of a faulty pipeline, police said on Friday.
The police said the incident took place on Thursday when after a disruption in the power supply had halted the flow of water through a tunnel, the three men were called to conduct an inspection into the tunnel.
However, while repairing the faulty pipeline, they drowned when water was suddenly released into the tunnel. Despite their efforts to escape, the torrential deluge swept them away, hurling them into separate tanks situated at depths of 70 to 80 feet below ground level, the police said.
The water tunnels, integral to the steel manufacturing process, serve as conduits for cooling hot iron rods, with excess water stored in various tanks within the facility.
The deceased, identified as Panthi Jadeppa (31), resident of Hospet, Shivamagadev (22), resident of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, and Sushant Krishna Nainaru (23), resident of Bengaluru. They were part of the company’s civil department.
Toranagal police inspector Veeranna said: “The incident occurred around 5 pm on Thursday when three workers entered the tunnel to repair the glitch. Two bodies were recovered on Thursday night, while another body was retrieved on Friday morning. We have registered a case against the factory management under IPC Section 304A (causing death by negligence), and an investigation is ongoing.”
{{/usCountry}}Toranagal police inspector Veeranna said: “The incident occurred around 5 pm on Thursday when three workers entered the tunnel to repair the glitch. Two bodies were recovered on Thursday night, while another body was retrieved on Friday morning. We have registered a case against the factory management under IPC Section 304A (causing death by negligence), and an investigation is ongoing.”
{{/usCountry}}He further said that the factory workers immediately started the rescue mission and by Thursday night two bodies were recovered. The third body was recovered on Friday.
Following the incident, the bodies were transferred to the Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) Mortuary.District superintendent of police Ranjith Kumar Bandaru said that the bodies were handed over to the families on Friday evening.