The public health engineering (PHE) department has issued compensation cheques to the family of the three labourers who have died during laying of PHE pipeline in Dalurbandh Colliery area of Salanpur Block under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme. The three labourers were stuck under a mud heap while excavation and pipeline laying work was on.

One labourer is injured and is undergoing treatment at Asansol District Hospital. A committee has been formed lead by the chief engineer of PHE to probe the incident.

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Immediately after the incident, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Asansol Sadar, Biswajit Bhattacharya and BDO of Salanpur block along with assistant engineer of PHE rushed to the site.

The deceased were rescued and taken to Asansol District Hospital, where Rajjak Sheikh (22), Rohit Sheikh (18) and Nitesh Paswan (25) were pronounced brought-dead.

All these three labourers were migrant labourers and hail from Pakur district in Jharkhand.

S Ponnambalam, district magistrate (DM) of West Burdwan has already ordered a probe and has directed the PHE department to submit a report.

PHE officials said that the labourers killed were engaged for welding and holding the pipeline by the private contractor.

The MLA of Barabani, Bidhan Upadhyay has termed the incident very tragic and has urged the PHE department to take all safety precautions during the rest of the pipe laying work.