Four minors die after falling into water-filled pit dug up for Bharatmala project in Odisha

Jeypore: In a saddening incident, four minors including a girl child died after drowning in a water-filled pit near Majhiguda village of Koraput district today afternoon.

The minors aged between five to seven years were walking near the pit dug up for road work under the Bharatmala project. As a village meeting was going near the spot, the children went close to the water-filled pit out of curiosity.

Three of them fell into the crater at first. Seeing them drowning in the water-filled crater, the girl child tried to leave the spot while crying for help. But, somehow she also slipped into the crater.

The four children fell into the water-filled pit within 15-20 minutes.

Hearing cries of the children, the villagers ran to the spot. Seeing the children drowning, the villagers informed the local police and Fire department.

A rescue operation was launched and the bodies of the minor were fished out within few minutes.

A villager said a pall of gloom has descended on the village following the mishap.

It is worth to mention that the villagers have been opposing the construction of the road passing through the village and connecting Visakhapatnam and Raipur under Bharatmala project.