A worker was killed on the spot and five were injured after an ore portion with mud and rocks fell on them inside the Hutti Gold Mines in Lingsugur taluk of Raichur district in the early hours of Friday.
Sources said that the deceased has been identified as 50-year-old Mounesh, a native of Hutti village.
The Hutti Gold Mines Company Limited in Hutti village of Lingsugur taluk, Raichur district. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The five injured, also workers of the gold mines, have been identified as 40-year-old Budiappa, 29-year-old Hanumantharaya, 41-year-old Shivaraj, 46-year-old Rangaswamy, all residents of Hutti camp, and 37-year-old Parashuram, a native of Gouduru village.
Among the injured, Budiappa and Rangaswamy have been referred to Bengaluru, Hanumantharaya to Belagavi and the remaining two Shivaraj and Parashuram have been referred to Lingsugur for further treatment.
All six of them, including the deceased, were on duty when the incident happened.
MLA and Chairman of Hutti Gold Mines Company Limited J.T. Patil, who rushed to the spot after receiving information, told The Hindu over phone that a compensation cheque for ₹32.98 lakh and an appointment letter offering a job for the son of dead worker were handed over to his family members on the spot.
Considering the background of the family, an ex-gratia amount of ₹5 lakh has been promised by the Hutti Gold Mines Board, he said.
The chairman said that the board has been directed to get insurance cover for workers for ₹25 lakh each to be given to families in case of similar incidents.
Meanwhile, labour organisations have demanded ₹50 lakh compensation for the aggrieved family.
Deputy Superintendent of Police of Lingsugur Dattatreya Karnad said that an unnatural death report under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has been registered at the Hatti Police Station.
Superintendent of Police of Raichur M. Puttamadaiah, Additional Superintendent of Police Harish, Mr. Dattatreya Karnad and Police Inspectors of Hutti and Lingsugur Hosakerappa and Pundalik M. Patatar, respectively, were present.
