Kolkata, March 16 (IANS) Two workers were killed and several others seriously injured after a landslide struck a stone quarry in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Monday, police said. The incident occurred at Gopalpur under the jurisdiction of Murarai Police Station in the district.

According to the police, the owner of the affected quarry is Sirajul Islam, the Chairperson of a Standing Committee of the Birbhum Zilla Parishad.

On Monday, while work was in progress, a sudden landslide struck the quarry. At the time, around 12 to 14 workers were on duty and many of them were buried under the rocks.

Several workers were rescued through the efforts of local residents before the police reached the spot.

Police later carried out rescue operations and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Two workers died in the accident.

However, fears remain that the death toll may rise as some workers are suspected to still be trapped under the debris.

Earlier, a similar accident had occurred in September last year at a quarry in Nalhati in Birbhum district, in which five workers lost their lives.

Monday’s incident has triggered a political controversy, with the BJP demanding the arrest of the quarry owner, who is also a Trinamool Congress leader.

Dhruva Saha, former president of the BJP’s Birbhum organisational district, alleged: “That quarry is illegal. The Model Code of Conduct for the Assembly elections has already come into force. We demand that the police make an arrest immediately.”

Responding to the allegations, leaders of the Trinamool Congress said the party is looking into the matter.

A local Trinamool Congress leader said that at this stage the priority should be the condition of the victims rather than determining ownership of the quarry.

“Let the police and the administration do their work. We are now focused on the wellbeing of the injured workers. Our party will stand by the families who lost their dear ones in the accident,” the leader said.

–IANS

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