Dhenkanal: Rescue teams on Sunday recovered two bodies from beneath a mound of soil at a stone quarry in the Gopalpur area under Motanga police limits in Odisha's Dhenkanal district. The recovery was made by Fire Services personnel during a search and rescue operation following a blast and subsequent soil collapse at the quarry.

The deceased were identified as Abhi Singh (25) of Balasore and Budhu Munda (23) of Keonjhar. North Central Range Inspector General Satyabrata Bhoi confirmed the two deaths and said no other worker was injured in the incident. He said a large stone fell on the workers while they were drilling holes ahead of a blasting operation using explosives. At the time of the accident, no other workers were present at the site, the police official added.

Massive Blast Triggers Cave-In

The incident occurred at a stone quarry near Gopalpur, where blasting activities reportedly led to a major explosion late Saturday night. The blast caused a section of loose earth to cave in, raising fears that workers present at the site were trapped under the debris.

Rescue Teams Deployed, Search Continues

One team from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and two Fire Services teams were deployed at the site. Heavy machinery, including JCB excavators, was used to remove soil, while a dog squad was also pressed into service to aid the search operation.

Collector, SP Review Situation On Ground

To oversee the situation and assess the extent of the damage, the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police of Dhenkanal visited the quarry site.

Illegal Blasting Under Scanner

Preliminary information suggests that the stone quarry was allegedly operating illegally, with blasting activities being carried out without valid permission. The quarry was already under scrutiny for unauthorised operations, and the latest incident has intensified focus on illegal mining and blasting practices in the area.

Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar said a case has been registered against the quarry owner, and further investigation is underway.