Six Migrant Workers Die in Bapatla Quarry Disaster
Granite collapse kills six, injures ten in Andhra Pradesh.
A tragic granite quarry accident in Ballikurava, Bapatla district, Andhra Pradesh, claimed the lives of six migrant workers from Odisha and injured ten others on Sunday. Heavy rainfall destabilized loose soil around the quarry cliff, causing massive boulders to collapse on the workers below. The deceased, all from Ganjam and Gajapati districts, were identified as Danda Badatya (48), Takuna Dalai (37), Banamala Chehra (30), Bhaskar Bhisoy (40), Santosh Gouda (36), and Mussajan (43).
The collapse occurred while 16 workers were on duty. Four died instantly, and two succumbed to critical injuries at Narasaraopet Government Hospital, where the ten injured are receiving treatment, two in critical condition. Bapatla District Collector J Venkata Murali and SP Tushar Dudi oversaw rescue operations, with the district administration arranging to send the deceased’s bodies to Odisha.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered a criminal case against the quarry management and a detailed report from the Mines and Geology Department. Minister Nara Lokesh expressed grief, assuring support for the bereaved families. The Andhra Pradesh government announced Rs 14 lakh ex gratia for each deceased worker’s family, Rs 10 lakh for the severely injured, and Rs 1 lakh for minor injuries. Odisha CM Mohan Majhi offered Rs 4 lakh per deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
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Odisha has dispatched Pritish Panda, an officer from the Odisha Parivar Directorate, to Bapatla to ensure proper treatment for the injured and facilitate the return of the deceased’s bodies. The Labour Department is coordinating with the victims’ families in Ganjam and Gajapati.
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