Two Workers Killed in BDA Underpass Soil Collapse Near FTII Circle

Two construction workers were killed and three others were injured after a portion of soil collapsed at a Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) underpass construction site near FTII Circle on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred around 11 am when five workers were inside a pit more than 20 feet deep, draining accumulated water using a motor for Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) work. As the water was being pumped out, the surrounding soil collapsed into the excavation pit, trapping the workers underneath.

The deceased have been identified as 37-year-old Sunaram Tiri from Odisha and 31-year-old Parimal Basak from West Bengal. The three injured workers were identified as Sunil Xalxo, 28, from Chhattisgarh, and Sadanand Kindo, 35, and Irmiyaz Toppo, 30, both from Jharkhand.

While three of the workers managed to escape, two remained trapped beneath the heavy earth. Fire personnel conducted a rescue operation that lasted for more than an hour. Sunaram was rescued and shifted to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Parimal died after being trapped under the soil, and rescue personnel later retrieved his body.

Police officers who attended the site noted that during the rescue operation, they did not see the workers wearing helmets or using any other mandatory safety equipment inside the deep pit.

Following the incident, the Nandini Layout police registered a case under Sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The case was booked against PJB Engineers Pvt Ltd, the contractor executing the turnkey project, along with representatives Bijo Joseph, Kishor, and others.

Meanwhile, the BDA chairman ordered an independent inquiry to ascertain the cause of the fatal collapse. A committee comprising a retired judge and a retired chief engineer has been tasked with submitting a report within 45 days. The BDA announced it will provide Rs 8 lakh in compensation to the families of each deceased worker and bear the medical expenses for those injured.