Debris from an upper road crashed onto a construction site in Anganpathri, Poonch, at 10:20 am on Monday, killing one worker and trapping three others under tons of muck. The victim, identified as Mohammad Bashir from Sawjian, died on the spot. Ashish Ranjan, the Officer Commanding of the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), confirmed that a private operator working on the road above triggered the sudden slide that struck the laborers below.
GREF troops, police, and local administration personnel joined hands with fellow workers to launch an immediate rescue operation. After frantic efforts, they pulled the three trapped men from the rubble. Their condition remains critical as they receive treatment at the Sub-District Hospital in Mandi.
The incident highlights the precarious nature of infrastructure work in the region’s hilly terrain. Four laborers were engaged in routine tasks when the hillside gave way, burying them instantly. No official inquiry has been announced yet regarding the safety protocols followed by the private contractor operating on the upper stretch.
Authorities are monitoring the stability of the site to prevent further slides. The case has been registered, and investigators will examine the geological conditions and contractor compliance in the coming days.