SHILLONG: A devastating tragedy struck the Lapalang area of Shillong on the evening of July 10, when a routine construction task at a private site turned deadly, claiming five lives.
The incident, which occurred around 7:30 pm under the jurisdiction of Rynjah Police Station, has sent shockwaves through the community and underscored the grave dangers of working in confined spaces without proper safety measures.
According to official reports, the disaster unfolded when four Khasi laborers were sent into a deep well to drain accumulated water using a fuel-powered generator to operate a suction pump. As the generator ran, the poorly ventilated well quickly filled with dense, toxic fumes. Trapped underground, the four workers began to suffocate. In a desperate struggle, one laborer managed to escape and raise an alarm.
Responding to the cries for help, two Nepali brothers from the neighborhood displayed remarkable courage by rushing to the scene and descending into the well in an attempt to rescue the trapped workers. Tragically, they too were overcome by the noxious fumes and became victims alongside those they sought to save.
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Emergency services, including a specialized team from the State Rescue Team (SRT), were quickly mobilized. Despite hazardous conditions, the SRT managed to retrieve all five individuals from the well.
The victims were rushed to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), where they were declared brought dead due to severe asphyxiation from prolonged exposure to generator fumes.
In the aftermath, Meghalaya Police have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
A case has been registered at Rynjah Police Station (Case No. 106(1)/125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005).
Authorities will probe whether safety protocols were ignored at the construction site, resulting in the unlawful endangerment and deaths of the workers and their would-be rescuers.
(4FrontMedia news)
