Six workers killed in an accident at a stone quarry in West Bengal’s Birbhum

Six workers were killed in an accident at a stone quarry in Birbhum district of West Bengal on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred at Bahadurpur stone quarry under Nalhati police station limits.

According to eyewitnesses, workers were removing stones when the explosion triggered a collapse of a large section of the quarry. The workers had no chance to escape. Around 10 to 12 labourers were present at the site at the time of the accident.

FivFive workers died on the spot and one succumbed to injuries later. Four others were rescued and admitted to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital. Police and rescue teams continued operations to ascertain whether more workers were trapped. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blast and whether the quarry was operating in compliance with safety regulations.

Relatives of the deceased and injured workers gathered at the hospital. A relative said those employed at the quarry were daily wage earners without any social security. Nalhati Trinamool Congress MLA Rajendra Prasad Singh, who visited the hospital, said he was not aware how the incident had occurred.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari held the State government “completely liable” for the deaths. “Stone quarries operating in the Birbhum, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman region are already under the scanner for misuse of explosives and this racket is active in supplying the explosive materials in the area, flouting all norms and rules,” Mr. Adhikari posted on social media.

The BJP leader added that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is already probing two cases of explosions in the region and urged the agency to “immediately launch a full-scale crackdown and bust this dangerous racket of illegal explosives once and for all.”

The cases under NIA investigation involve the recovery of 81,000 gelatin sticks and detonators in Mohammad Bazar, and the death of a man carrying explosives on a motorbike at Saltora in neighbouring Bankura district.