A routine excavation under a rural employment scheme turned tragic in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district on Tuesday after a well under construction collapsed, killing five labourers and triggering allegations of administrative negligence and delayed rescue operations.
The incident took place in Biharpurwa village of Ajaygarh tehsil, where labourers were digging a well under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Rural) scheme. According to local residents, the structure caved in after wet soil suddenly gave way during excavation work.
The deceased have been identified as Ashish Yadav, Rajkumar Yadav, Rampal Yadav, Chunnu Yadav and Chunwad Pal. Four of the victims reportedly belonged to the same family.
“The administration arrived nearly three hours after the collapse. By then, our people had already died under the debris,” alleged a relative of one of the victims.
Villagers claimed they informed authorities immediately after the collapse and began rescue operations on their own by arranging a JCB machine. However, despite frantic efforts, none of the trapped workers could be rescued alive.
पन्ना जिले के अजयगढ़ विकासखंड के ग्राम पंचायत बीहरपुरवा के नयापुरवा में मंगलवार को ग्राम पंचायत द्वारा निर्माणाधीन कुआं की मिट्टी धसकने की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटना में पांच व्यक्तियों की मृत्यु हुई है। 2 व्यक्ति सकुशल बाहर निकल आए। #JansamparkMP #panna pic.twitter.com/CMWbeVPbei
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According to eyewitnesses, seven labourers had been working at the site for nearly 10 days. Two workers had reportedly climbed out of the well to drink water moments before the wet soil collapsed, trapping the remaining five inside.
The first bodies recovered were those of Rajkumar Yadav and Chunwad Pal, followed by the retrieval of the other victims after hours of excavation.
Relatives of the deceased alleged that the site had already become unstable due to earlier digging and water seepage. They further accused local officials of ignoring safety concerns and continuing work despite known risks.
A family member alleged that labourers had initially refused to work at the site due to safety fears, but were persuaded after wages were increased from Rs 350 to Rs 500 per day.
District Collector Usha Parmar later visited the site, met grieving families and assured them of all possible assistance. She said an inquiry would be conducted into the incident and strict action would follow against anyone found responsible.
The Panna District Administration confirmed the deaths and said further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse is underway.
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