Odisha: 4 children among 5 killed as under-construction culvert collapses on them

Rayagada, Jul 31 (PTI) Five people, including four children, were killed as an under-construction culvert collapsed on them in Odisha’s Rayagada district on Monday, police said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased.

The incident happened in Uparsaja village in Kalyansinghpur block when they were bathing under it and the ceiling of the culvert caved in, a senior officer said.

They were bathing in the rainwater that accumulated under the culvert, he said.

Extending condolences to the bereaved families, Patnaik, in a statement, said, “Strict action would be taken against those responsible for the incident.”

Odisha Law Minister Jagannath Saraka and Rayagada MLA Makaranda Muduli visited the accident site and condoled the death of the five people.

A pall of gloom descended on the village as the parents were seen wailing holding the bodies of their children.

A rescue team, comprising personnel of the fire service and police, cleared the debris, the officer said.

Local officials said that the construction of the culvert was not completed as the contractor withdrew his workers from the work.

The ceiling of the culvert caved in due to very heavy rainfall in the locality, they claimed.