Three daily-wage labourers lost their lives while digging a well in a remote village of Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, raising serious concerns over safety lapses in unregulated construction and excavation activities.
Incident during excavation work
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening at Disama village, where the labourers were engaged in manual excavation of a well. According to officials, the workers reportedly fell into the well pit during the digging process under circumstances that are still being examined.
The deceased were identified as Tissong Terang, Bongtharber Hobi Teron, and Longsdab Teron. All three were working as daily-wage labourers at the site at the time of the incident.
Rescue operation and hospital declaration
After receiving information about the mishap, personnel from the State Disaster Response Force rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. The labourers were pulled out of the pit and immediately shifted to Diphu Medical College and Hospital.
Doctors at the hospital declared all three workers brought dead, officials said.
Inquiry ordered by district administration
The district administration has ordered an inquiry to ascertain the exact circumstances that led to the tragedy. Officials said the probe will examine whether basic safety norms were followed at the worksite and if any negligence contributed to the deaths.
Authorities are also expected to verify whether the excavation work had the required permissions and safety oversight, particularly given the hazardous nature of manual well-digging.
Safety concerns flagged
The incident has once again drawn attention to the risks faced by daily-wage labourers working in informal and unregulated sectors, especially in rural areas. Experts have repeatedly warned that lack of protective equipment, absence of supervision, and unsafe excavation practices often lead to fatal accidents.
Officials said further details will emerge after the completion of the inquiry, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.