Two labourers die after earth caves in at pipeline worksite in Belagavi

BELAGAVI: Two labourers died after the earth caved in on them when they were working in a water pipeline ditch next to the service road near Kotekere along the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway-4 on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Basavaraj and Shivalinga.

The two men were pulled out from the ditch by locals after digging up the mud using an excavator. Both had sustained severe injuries and did not survive though they were rushed to the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS).

The work had been contracted by the city corporation. The families of the deceased workers expressed anger as neither the corporation commissioner B Shubha nor the contractor or other officials visited the spot. They insisted on keeping the bodies in the hospital mortuary till the officials arrive.

The families said the workers had migrated to Belagavi for Rs 600 daily wages and pointed out that Shivalinga, who was yet to get married, was the sole bread winner of his family. Basavaraj was married with three children and justice should be ensured for the families, they insisted.