In Kerala’s Kochi, four migrant workers die as land caves in

Four migrant workers hailing from West Bengal died after a landslide at a construction site in Kalamassery in Kochi on Friday, police said adding a search operation had been launched for another worker who is missing.

According to the police, the accident occurred while the workers were digging land to lay pillars for a new construction at the electronic city. Police said seven workers were engaged in the digging work and two were saved by fire force personnel. Initial reports suggested that safety measures were lacking at the construction site and Industry Minister P Rajeev said the contractors responsible will be booked.

The police later identified the dead as Fijul Mondal, Noujesh Ali, Noor Amin Mondal and Kudoos Mondol. Ernakulam district collector Jafar Malik said their bodies will be sent to their native place and the government will bear the expenses. He said the district administration will check all construction sites to ensure safety measures in the wake of the freak accident. He asked the additional district magistrate to inquire about the incident and submit a report.

According to the state labour ministry, there are around 25 lakh migrant workers in the state who are often called guest workers. Better working conditions and good wages attract hordes of workers from north-eastern and northern states to Kerala.