Two persons killed in cave-in at construction site in the Nilgiris

They were cutting a slope that collapsed on them at Manjanakorai 

Two workers died while digging into a slope that collapsed on them at Manjanakorai near here on Sunday.

The police identified the victims as Sait, 55, and Velu, 28, both of Omalur in Salem. They were among four workers employed by Kumaresan, a landowner, to build a retaining wall of around 35 feet in length and 15 feet in height.

They were digging into the side of a slope to start the construction when the incident occurred. Sait and Velu died on the spot. The Fire and Rescue Services recovered the bodies and sent them for post-mortem.

Nilgiris Collector S.P. Amrith and police officers visited the spot and conducted inquiries.

Mr. Amrith told reporters that no safety precautions had been followed during the construction. He said a case would be registered and an inquiry would be conducted by the Department of Revenue.

The police registered a case of negligence which caused the deaths. Officials said the vertical cutting, done without adequate safeguards, could have caused the slope to collapse.

This is the first major incident at a construction site since 2016 when four workers died after the earth caved in while they were building a retaining wall at Mel Currency near Coonoor.