3 killed in Sylhet stone quarry accidents

Two workers and a tractor driver were killed in separate accidents at stone quarries in Gowainghat and Companiganj upazilas of Sylhet yesterday.

The deceased have been identified as Najim Uddin, 19, hailing from Moyghor village, and Osman Miah, 28, of Gramkandi village of of Gowainghat upazila; and Ekhlas Miah, 25, of Chhatak upazila in Sunamganj.

Police detained two owners – Delwar and Jewel -- of stone quarries in Jaflong area of Gowainghat upazila after the accidents, Delwar Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Gowainghat Police Station, told our Sylhet correspondent.

No cases have been filed yet, the police official added.

As many as 22 stone workers have been killed in first three months this year while the death toll was 32 in last year at several illegal stone quarries of 4 upazilas in Sylhet.

Najim Uddin died at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, hours after he got critical injury as a metal water pipeline hit him at a stone pit in Jaflong of Gowainghat around 3:30pm.

Meanwhile, Osman died as a big chunk of earth collapsed over him while extracting stones in another pit of the area at around 6:00pm, the OC said.

Ekhlas Miah, driver of a tractor, died on the spot as he lost control of the tractor full of stones in Shah Arefin Tila area, Shafiqur Rahman Khan, officer-in-charge of Companiganj Police Station, said.