A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli district on Sunday afternoon, as a clay mine collapse resulted in the loss of three lives and left two women critically injured. The tragedy occurred in Parsohar village at around 1:21 pm when a group of women and children ventured into a shallow pit to extract chhui, a soft, white-and-yellow clay commonly used for plastering houses.
The victims, identified as Preeti Singh (10), Basanti (16), and Phoolmati Yadav (50), were caught under toes of soil when a large section of loose earth caved in. Two other women, Kaushalya Singh (50) and Sakmuni Singh (45), were rescued in an unconscious state and rushed to a hospital, where they remain in serious condition.
This tragic incident sheds light on the perils of informal mining and soil extraction in tribal and rural areas of Madhya Pradesh, where individuals, including women and children, often risk their lives in unstable pits to collect mud for domestic purposes. The practice, driven by poverty, has claimed lives in the past and continues to pose a significant threat to those involved.
Police officials reported that the victims were inside the pit when the collapse took place, leading to the deaths of three individuals. An investigation has been launched to understand the circumstances surrounding the incident and to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The collapse sparked panic in the village, prompting family members and neighbors to rush to the scene upon hearing cries for help. Despite initial attempts to dig out the trapped victims using basic tools, authorities were eventually called in for assistance.
With the deployment of police teams and an earth excavator machine, the bodies and injured women were successfully retrieved after hours of excavation. The delicate operation revealed the dangers of unstable soil conditions and the need for caution in such mining activities.
Authorities have sent the bodies for postmortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death and any underlying factors that may have contributed to the tragedy. Further investigations will focus on whether the mining site was previously identified as hazardous and whether adequate safety measures were in place.
As the community grapples with this devastating loss, it serves as a somber reminder of the risks associated with informal mining practices and the urgent need for stricter safety regulations to protect the lives of those engaged in such activities.
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