Labourer killed in wall collapse

Tribune News Service

Solan,December 21

A migrant labourer was killed and three others injured when a 20-25 meter boundary wall of an industrial unit caved in Baddi industrial area this morning.

Superintendent of Police, Baddi, Basher Singh said the boundary wall of the industrial unit gave way and muck fell on the four migrant labourers who were cooking a meal outside the unit premises. The labourers had taken the adjoining premises on rent. The unit owner had rented the factory to a toilet soap manufacturer.

He said the wall lacked strength to endure the load of 20-25 m structure. Being an old wall, it collapsed and fell on the migrants.

Sunil Kumar(22), who hails from Hisar, was killed on the spot while Vir Kumar from Bihar and Kuldeep and Mukesh, both from Haryana, were seriously injured in the mishap.

They have been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, after being administered preliminary treatment at a local hospital.

A case for negligence and endangering the life of a person has been registered against the factory management.

This is not the first case where collapse of a boundary wall has led to casualties in the state’s industrial area of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh which houses 79 per cent of the state’s industry. Such cases have been coming to the fore every now and then.