A major accident occurred on Tuesday evening in Rajasthan’s Sikar district when a landslide inside a mine in Patan, Neem Ka Thana, claimed two lives and left one worker seriously injured.
The incident took place at Krishna Mines in Dokan village, where six workers were on duty, reported NDTV. Suddenly, a large portion of the hill collapsed, burying an excavator, a dumper, and three workers under the debris.
Among them, Laxman Singh Rajput from Neem Ka Thana and Surendra Harijan from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, lost their lives. Nitish Yadav from Bihar was critically injured and is currently undergoing treatment at Neem Ka Thana hospital.
12-Hour Rescue Operation
Police, administrative officials, and rescue teams rushed to the spot after receiving information. While the injured Nitish and deceased Laxman were recovered early, Surendra, who was operating the excavator, remained trapped under heavy rocks. After nearly 12 hours of continuous efforts, he was finally pulled out around midnight, but he had already died.
Locals Allege Negligence
The tragedy has sparked anger among villagers, who accused mine operators of ignoring safety despite continuous rainfall in recent days. Residents claimed the mine, which is nearly 200 feet deep, has long posed a landslide risk. They alleged operators continued work despite warnings and past minor landslides, leading to Tuesday's fatal collapse.
Officials have assured a probe into the incident. Police have sent both bodies for post-mortem, and further investigation is underway.
Heavy rain caused severe waterlogging in Sikar city and surrounding areas this afternoon, turning roads into rivers and flooding shops. Residents faced major difficulties, blaming the municipal and district authorities for failing to manage drainage despite prior assurances. The Meteorological Department has issued a rain alert for multiple districts, warning of continued adverse weather conditions.