Labourer missing after bridge frame falls into SYL canal

A 20-year-old labourer, Nawazish from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, is feared to have drowned in the SYL canal during the installation of a bridge frame on the Kirmach-Hathira road in Kurukshetra on Wednesday.

The incident occurred when a crane installing the frame suffered a snag, suspected to be a pressure burst. The heavy frame fell into the canal, causing three labourers working nearby to fall into the water as well. While two of them were rescued, Nawazish went missing.

Police officials from the Kurukshetra University police station responded to the scene, and divers initiated a search operation. However, the missing labourer had not been located till the filing of this report.

Sajid, a relative of the victim, alleged that the incident occurred due to inadequate safety measures during the installation of the heavy frame. "The lack of proper support and safety precautions led to this tragedy," he claimed.

The bridge, managed by the Irrigation Department, has been under construction since November 20, with 11 workers engaged on site.

SHO Dinesh Kumar of Kurukshetra University police station said, "During the installation of an iron frame using cranes, a snag caused the frame to become unbalanced and fall into the canal. Three labourers fell into the water; two were rescued, and a search operation is underway to locate the missing person. Further action will be taken based on the complaint."