Tura, Feb 9: Two children were killed and three others managed to make it out alive with injuries after a hillock under excavation collapsed on Saturday in the plain belt village of Nolbari in West Garo Hills.
According to police, an excavator (JCB) had been engaged in earth work for house construction from the land of one Nurul Amin Sarkar. After digging uo the soil, the JCB driver had parked the vehicle and gone inside Sarkar’s house to have tea when the tragedy unfolded.
During this time, five children—identified as Aladin Sarkar (10), Rofizul Mollah (7), Moksedul Sk (11), Rakibul Alom (7), and Sahil Rahman (8) ventured near the excavated soil to play when the earth from above suddenly gave way bringing down tons of earth and burying all five children under the soil.
Hearing the sound and the commotion the JCB driver and others rushed out and managed to pull the children out. Sadly, Rakibul Alom and Sahil Rahman didn’t make it out alive and were declared dead at the hospital. The three other children were rushed to Bhaitbari Community Health Centre (CHC) for immediate medical treatment.
The Gaonbura (village head) of Nolbari village reported the incident to the Rajabala Police Station, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the landslide. Authorities are examining whether proper safety measures were followed during the excavation work.
The incident has left the village in mourning, with locals calling for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by unregulated excavation and construction activities in vulnerable areas.
