7 labourers die after getting trapped under maize bags at Vijayapura processing unit

Vijayapura: Seven migrant labourers were killed and seven others injured after getting trapped under heaps of maize bags at a food processing unit in Aliyabad industrial area in Vijayapura on Monday evening. The bags came crashing down after an overloaded silo used for storing corn collapsed at ‘Rajguru’ company.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and fire department personnel arrived at the spot after the accident at 4.30 pm and continued operations till Tuesday afternoon to rescue 4-5 workers with the help of bulldozers. A medical team was also deployed at the site to supply oxygen to the workers.

Around 50 workers were at the site at the time of the accident. The deceased labourers were all natives of Bihar. They were identified as Rajesh Mukhiya (20), Shambhu Mukhiya (40), Ram Balak (40), Rambhit (36), Luko Jadhav (55), Krishna Kumar Akhiya (18) and Dhulachand Mukhiya (33). 

Industries Minister MB Patil, who is also in charge of the district, announced Rs 7 lakh each to the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. The labourers alleged that two workers died in similar incidents last year but the company did not pay any compensation.

Kishore Jain, the owner of the food processing unit, is absconding. A case of negligence has been registered against him and company supervisor Praveenchandra Srivedi.