Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 23: Two women were washed away due to flash flood in `nallas’ in Rajouri and Mahore late evening while four labourers including three women were buried alive after a big wall of a factory collapsed due to rain near Sarore in Samba district this morning.
The dead bodies of the women, who got washed away in Kotranka area of Rajouri and Jamaslan in district Reasi were traced today.
Giving details, a police spokesman said that some labourers had been engaged in construction work at Slexo Industries Gail India Pvt Ltd complex. A big shed was being converted into double storey building. The labourers were busy in digging ground for raising pillars. Nearly 12 ft high wall suddenly collapsed and the labourers were buried alive under the debris.
Police said there was heavy rain during last night and wall didn’t have enough plinth. Immediately after the incident, the management people rushed to the site besides the contractor. The labourers were removed from the debries and taken to Bari Brahmana hospital. All of them were declared as brought dead.
Bari Brahmana police party rushed led by SHO Arun Jamwal rushed to the spot and registered a case for negligence against the contractor and the management.
Those killed were identified as Promila, wife of Bikram, Ganga Mai (25), wife of Manoj, Savitri (40), wife of Sohan Charan and Sohan Charan (45), son of Shatram Charan, all residents of Jehangir Chapra in Chhatisgarh.
SSP Samba, Israr Khan said that a case has been registered for negligence against the factory management and the contractor. He said these labourers were working in the same premises for the last more than one month. No precautions were taken while raising the pillars and old wall was not removed. Due to rain it had become prone to accident/ collapse and the contractor could not pre-judge the risk factor.
Two persons namely contractor Koushal Kumar of Trikuta Nagar and Raghunandan from Bihar have been detained by police. He said the plastic goods based unit belonged to one Pawan Shastri of Jammu.
Meanwhile, a woman during rain slipped away into Khitazi nallah in Jamaslan area of Mahore in Reasi district late last evening. The mishap took place when she was returning home along with cattle. She was washed away and her body could be traced by villagers and police this morning about 2 km down stream.
Another report said that one Fatima Bi (40), wife of Munshi Khan, resident of village Sulerhi was washed away when she was crossing a nallah in Kotranka area late last evening. Due to flash flood the woman was washed away. Her body was be traced by police and villagers this afternoon.
Meanwhile, ADC and SP Poonch visited Gursai, Ari and Mendhar area where several houses had collapsed and met the affected families. They took stock of the situation and directed the concerned Revenue officers to assess the losses caused and send the report. They also asked the R&B, PDD and PHE officials to initiate restoration work on war footing. They also reviewed the situation in Mendhar market where water entered many shops and caused extensive damage to the traders and asked MC authorities to ensure proper drainage system.
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