Bhubaneswar: A labourer died and two others sustained critical injuries in a mishap during the construction of a drain in Odisha’s Cuttack city today.

At least five labourers were engaged in the reconstruction of a drain near Bidanasi square in the Silver City.

The boundary wall of a residential building, located close to the under-construction drain, collapsed and fell on the labourers working at the site.

Three labourers got trapped under the debris. One among them died on the spot while the locals rescued the remaining two and rushed them to a nearby hospital in a critical condition.

The locals have claimed that they had earlier talked to the private contractor executing the drainage project and urged him to take the necessary steps to avoid any mishap during the construction work.

However, the contractor did not ensure proper safety measures for the labourers engaged in the project, alleged the locals while seeking adequate compensation for the deceased’s family.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), meanwhile, has formed a three-member committee to probe the incident. The committee has been asked to submit its report in a month. The civic body has recommended ex-gratia towards the deceased’s family, said Cuttack Mayor Subhash Chandra Singh.