Ramanagara: At least seven quarry workers were killed and five others injured after a massive rock collapsed at the Cauvery Crusher unit near Madapattana village in Ramanagara district early on Thursday morning, July 2. The incident occurred while a group of labourers was working inside the quarry, trapping several of them beneath tonnes of rock and debris.
The deceased have been identified as Ramu, 46, Rajpal Singh, 35, Satyanarayana Singh, 31, Ram Vatar Singh, 31, Rajendra Prasad, Nohar Singh and Bhuvaneshwar Singh. Most of the victims were migrant labourers from northern India who had been employed at the quarry.
Five workers sustained injuries in the accident. The injured have been identified as Gulab Singh, 27, Raj Pal, 30, Chotu, 24, Nohar Singh, 21, and Anand, 30. They were rushed to RR Hospital on Mysuru Road, where they are undergoing treatment in the emergency ward. Hospital sources said one of the injured workers remains in critical condition.
The impact of the rockfall was so severe that some of the victims’ bodies were badly crushed. Three tractors operating inside the quarry were also completely damaged in the incident.
Senior police and district officials rushed to the accident site soon after receiving information and supervised the rescue operation. Personnel from the police, fire and emergency services worked for several hours to recover the bodies and rescue the injured from beneath the debris.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the spot, Central Range Inspector General of Police S. Girish said the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Tavarekere Police Station. He said two quarry sites were functioning in the area, and 16 workers were present in the lower quarry when the massive rock suddenly gave way.
“Out of the 16 workers present at the site, seven lost their lives in the accident. An FIR will be registered and a detailed investigation will be conducted to ascertain the cause of the collapse and determine whether there were any safety violations,” the IG said.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed grief over the tragedy and conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased. In a post on X, he said the loss of seven workers was deeply distressing and prayed for peace for the departed souls and a speedy recovery for those injured.
The Chief Minister also stressed that ensuring the safety of quarry workers is the responsibility of quarry owners. He warned that the government would take strict action against quarry operators found violating safety regulations or labour protection norms. Authorities are expected to investigate whether the quarry was operating in compliance with mandatory safety standards and licence conditions.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief over the loss of lives in stone quarry accident and offered her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
“Pained by the loss of lives in an accident at a stone quarry in Bengaluru Urban District of Karnataka. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Murmu said on X.
This post was last modified on July 2, 2026 3:58 pm