Pathanamthitta quarry accident: Body of missing worker found

Pathanamthitta: The body of Ajay Kumar Rai (38), a migrant worker from Bihar who went missing after the granite quarry collapse in Konni, was recovered on Tuesday. Search operations, which were halted on Monday night, resumed in the morning. “Rocks fell from the top of the quarry twice. A crane was brought in as using an earth mover posed a further risk,” a Konni police officer told Onmanorama.      

The accident occurred while two workers were cutting a path deeper into the quarry. The body of the other worker, Mahadeb Pradan (51) from Odisha, was recovered earlier.

A 27-member team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Fire Force’s Special Rescue Team began the search at around 9.15 am. Ajay was reportedly found buried under 25 feet of debris, beneath an excavator.

The incident occurred when Ajay and Mahadev were returning from their lunch break. Rescue teams from the Fire and Rescue Department and the police rushed to the scene and began efforts to pull the trapped men out. However, a second landslide in the same area forced the teams to suspend operations due to safety concerns.