Patna accident: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Oct 29: Two labourers from Odisha tragically lost their lives, and at least eight others, including six from Odisha, sustained injuries after a loco pickup’s brakes failed at the Patna Metro construction site on Monday night.
The incident occurred when the loaded loco pickup malfunctioned and ran over several workers, according to officials. They noted that the toll could have been significantly higher had the accident happened during the daytime, as approximately 25 workers were present on-site at the time.
Reports suggest that supervisors were not available during night shifts, raising concerns about safety protocols. “This is very unfortunate. I just received the news, and the Odisha government will provide compensation… We will discuss this with the Bihar government,” said Odisha Labour Minister Ganesh Ram Khuntia in a statement to ANI.
Workers alleged that it took over an hour for the authorities to be notified about the accident, with police arriving around midnight to initiate rescue operations. In response, the District Magistrate announced that an investigation would be conducted to ensure safety standards were followed, forming a three-member committee led by the ADM (law and order) to oversee the inquiry.
