4 labourers buried alive while repairing tunnel in Rajasthan

Four labourers, repairing a tunnel in Rajasthan's Sirohi district, died after being buried alive under debris, the police said today.

They were trapped under the debris yesterday due to vibrations generated by a poclain machine working at the site on Beawar-Pindwara national highway, they said.

The family members of the deceased, identified as Devi Singh (32), Uttam Kumar (23), Mahendra Kumar Meena (27) and Mahendra Hiragar (30), have refused to accept the bodies till they are provided compensation by the private firm which was carrying out the repair work, Sirohi collector Babu Lal Meena said.

The bodies have been kept at a hospital mortuary and the state government has announced ex gratia for the kin of the deceased, he said.

A case has been registered at Sirohi Kotwali police station against the company and the driver of the poclain machine, the police said.