Ambassa, April 17: A tragic incident unfolded in the Nailahabari area under Ambassa police station on Wednesday morning, claiming the lives of two workers and seriously injuring two others during a pond excavation project under the Rural Employment Guarantee Act (REGA).
The mishap occurred around 11:30 am when a massive tree unexpectedly toppled over, crashing onto the workers who were engaged in routine excavation work. The deceased have been identified as Jui Malsom and Robert Malsom, who were crushed under the tree and died on the spot.
Emergency response was swift, with fire department personnel and Ambassa police arriving at the scene shortly after being informed. Rescuers managed to pull out four workers trapped beneath the fallen tree. The injured were immediately rushed to the Dhalai District Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment.
Ambassa Subdivisional Police Officer confirmed the sequence of events, stating that the tree collapse was sudden and occurred without any warning during the ongoing manual excavation work. After the autopsy was conducted at the district hospital, the bodies of the deceased were handed over to their bereaved families.
The incident has cast a deep shadow over the Nailahabari area, where shock and grief have gripped the local community. Residents gathered at the site and the hospital, expressing their sorrow over the tragic loss of life.
Local authorities are expected to launch a probe into the circumstances surrounding the tree collapse, and calls for increased safety measures on work sites under REGA have begun to emerge in the wake of the incident.
The district administration has yet to announce compensation for the victims’ families, but officials indicated that necessary support measures will be taken soon.
