In a tragic incident at a construction site in Mangaluru’s Balmatta area, one worker died and another was critically injured when they were trapped in a pit after loose soil collapsed on them. The incident occurred around 12:30 pm on Wednesday as Chandan (30) and Raj Kumar (18), both from Bihar, were working on foundation building. The disaster struck when loose soil caved in, trapping the men in a 20-foot-deep pit.
Emergency teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Fire Department were quickly mobilized. Raj Kumar was rescued alive and rushed to a local hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment. Unfortunately, Chandan was found dead after several hours of rescue operations.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan and Commissioner of Police Anupam Agarwal oversaw the rescue efforts. Local civil engineers noted that Mangaluru’s coastal region is composed of loose, porous laterite earth, making deep excavation risky due to soil susceptibility to caving in. This incident has raised serious questions about safety measures at construction sites.