Sonbhadra mining accident: Three more bodies pulled out, toll climbs to five

Sonbhadra (UP): The number of deaths in the stone quarry accident at Uttar Pradesh's Billi Markundi mining area has risen to five, police said on Sunday (March 1). The incident took place on Friday when a boulder from the top of the hill fell on the workers trapping as many as seven people.

The rescue team was able to evacuate two workers immediately from the scene. While bodies of two people were recovered on Saturday, three were removed on Sunday. 

The deceased have been identified as Gulab (26), Ram Prahlad (25) and Shivcharan (35), Superintendent of Police Ashish Srivastava said on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, the two rescued workers were taken to a trauma centre where they are being administered treatment. 

Additional District Magistrate of Sonbhadra, Yogendra Bahadur Singh, was present at the incident spot, said that so far a total of seven people have been evacuated.  

Administrative officials sais that a high-level inquiry will be conducted in the matter and strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty in the investigation.

Police said a case has been registered against the mining owner, unknown mining officers and others under the relevant section of the IPC.