Samastipur cave-in: 5 buried alive

SAMASTIPUR: Five people were buried alive when a mound of earth caved in at Nazirpur Surhania under the Ujiarpur police station area in

Samastipur

district on Friday morning.

The deceased were identified as Runa Devi (42), Amit Kumar (16), Rajkumari Devi (50), Suresh Kumar (10) and Rajkumar Paswan (40). Several others were rescued by the villagers.

According to sources, around 20 people were digging soil near a pond to prepare earthen ovens for the upcoming Chhath festival when the mound of earth caved in. Those injured were Mithlesh Kumar, Ramesh Kumar, Shankar Paswan, Nitesh Kumar, Arun Kumar, Rajeev Kumar, Chandan Kumar and Ishwar Thakur. They were admitted to Samastipur sadar hospital.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths. The district administration, on the CM’s directive, handed over a cheque for Rs4 lakh as ex gratia payment to the next of kin of each of the deceased.

Samastipur DM Chandrasekhar Singh rushed to the spot. “Five people, including two women and a minor, died on the spot and six were injured after a mound of earth fell on them,” he said.