Soil caves in during pipeline excavation work in Rajasthan; 2 dead, 5 feared trapped

Two workers died while five others are feared trapped after soil caved in during pipeline excavation work in Rajasthan's Bharatpur on Sunday morning, police said.

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According to officials, some labourers were filling a 10-foot-deep trench dug to lay a pipeline near Jangi ka Nagla village when the soil caved in.

Twelve workers got trapped under the soil. Upon hearing the cries, other labourers and project staff started rescue attempts, but the depth and heaviness of the soil made immediate efforts difficult, they said.

District administration, police and disaster management teams reached the site soon after being alerted. The rescue teams used earthmoving machines to remove soil and retrieve the trapped labourers.

They managed to pull out seven labourers, two of whom -- Ankul (22) and Vimla Devi (45) -- died. While five are undergoing treatment at the district hospital, five others are still trapped under the soil, the police said.

The rescue operation is underway.