Five killed, four injured as mound of mud collapses in Kaushambi village

Prayagraj: At least five women, including two teenagers, were killed and four others injured after a mud mound collapsed while they were digging soil for plastering and painting their houses near a pond at Teekardeeh village under Kokhraj police station area in Kaushambi on Monday. SP (Kaushambi) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava told TOI, "The incident took place around 7:40am when a group of nine people, mostly women, was busy digging the mud for plastering and painting their houses and a mound of soil suddenly collapsed." The screams of a female survivor who managed to escape the landslide caught the attention of locals of Teekardeeh and adjoining villages who rushed to the spot and informed the police.

Upon being alerted, senior police and administrative officials, along with police and fire department teams, carried out the rescue operation. Numerous villagers, who had gathered at the scene, assisted the police in rescuing the victims from the rubble. They also helped transport the injured to hospital in ambulances.



Srivastava said, "All the injured persons were rushed to the district hospital, Manjhanpur, where five of them — Kushi (17), Suman (18), Karchai Devi (50), Mamta (35) and Laliti (30), all residents of Teekardeeh — were declared dead." Four others — Sapna (16), Maina Devi (22), Lakhni Devi (40), and Sugan (20) from Teekardeeh, are being treated at the district hospital. Police said local women used to visit the pond area to dig mud for plastering and painting their temporary houses and preparing ‘chulha' (earthen stove).

Locals told the police that there was a mudslide at the site where the soil located near the pond was being dug. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep condolences to the families of the deceased. In a statement from Lucknow, the CM directed officials to reach the site immediately and expedite the relief and rescue operations.

He further instructed the district administration to ensure the injured receive proper medical treatment without delay. He also wished them a speedy recovery..