Maddur: Two labourers were killed after they were buried alive while at work on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway expansion in front of the Agriculture Department Office in Maddur last evening.

The deceased labourers are Kashinath (36) and Raju Gandh (30), both hailing from Jharkhand. The Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway expansion works has been awarded to Dileep Build Con, a Bhopal-based company and the works pertaining to the construction of a bridge were taken up for which 12 ft. deep and 20 ft. wide pit was dug up to construct pillars. 

There were about eight labourers in the pit, who had erected iron roads in the pit and filling of concrete was being undertaken. At about 5 pm, the earth (mud) caved-in burying alive two labourers while the others managed to save their lives. Meanwhile, other labourers at the spot immediately removed the mud using an excavator and rushed the two labourers to Maddur Government Hospital where they were declared dead. The bodies of the deceased have been kept at Maddur Government Hospital mortuary. Superintendent of Police (SP) Parashuram, Maddur Circle Inspector Prasad and Sub-Inspector Manjegowda visited the spot. A case has been registered at Maddur Police Station.