Kota: Family members of two railway engineers, who lost their lives after a section of earth collapsed at an under-construction underpass near Dara Ghati under Modak police station in Kota on Thursday night, have alleged negligence by railway authorities. They demanded compensation and a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
Engineers Forced to Work on Eid Holiday
Despite the national holiday of Eid, the two engineers were sent for inspection at the worksite without adequate manpower, reflecting negligence on the part of the authorities, the kin of the deceased alleged during a media interaction outside the MBS Hospital mortuary on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Prabhat Singh, 30, a junior engineer on probation from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and Sanjay Kumar Jha, 47, a senior section engineer from Dhamaura, West Champaran, Bihar.
Details of the Incident
According to Sourabh Jain, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Railways, Kota, the mishap occurred at 8 pm on Thursday when a section of earth of the under-construction underpass caved in, burying the two engineers. They were inspecting the site when the sudden collapse happened.
Jain expressed condolences to the grieving families, termed the mishap unfortunate, and refuted allegations of negligence. He stated that the deceased engineer was himself the site in-charge and that all safety and precautionary measures were in place. He assured that the affected families would be compensated as per norms and that an inquiry into the mishap has been ordered.
Rescue Operation and Hospital Response
A rescue operation was launched immediately after the incident using JCBs. The two engineers were extricated within 15 minutes and rushed to a hospital in Kota. Prabhat was declared brought dead, while Sanjay Kumar Jha succumbed later during treatment, railway authorities said.
Family Anger and Demands
Family members expressed anger and disappointment towards senior railway officials present outside the mortuary, accusing them of negligence and lack of safety measures. They questioned why work at the site continued with the same contractor.
Meanwhile, the body of Prabhat Singh was handed over to his family after post-mortem at MBS Hospital on Friday noon. Sanjay’s wife was en route to Kota to claim his body. However, an autopsy was conducted after the arrival of his brother, an assistant sub-inspector at Modak police station, said Laakhan Lal.
Notably, construction of a Rs 9.98 crore underpass on NH52-Jhalawar Road under Modak police station in Kota district is underway to avoid frequent traffic jams at Dara Ghati.
