In a tragic incident, a daily wage worker, who was engaged in deepening a ring well at Kannirajapuram in Kadaladi block on Monday, was buried alive. Two others, who were working with him, managed to escape.
The victim, S. Gurusamy, 56, was digging at about 20-foot depth and placing additional concrete rings when the sandy upper portion caved in, police and fire and rescue service sources said. Guruswamy, who hailed from nearby Ammapuram area, was inside the well and receiving the rings at the time of the incident.
The other two workers, who were standing at the edge of the well and lowering the concrete rings, jumped out and escaped. They were to lower 20 rings, but the mishap took place after only two rings were lowered, police said.
After an hour-long struggle, a police team, led by Sayalkudi Inspector Jockim Jerry, and fire service personnel recovered the body with the help of locals and by using earth movers.
As the loose soil kept caving in, they scooped out the body with the help of a JCB. After post-mortem at the Kadaladi government hospital, police handed over the body to the family members.
Gurusamy is survived by his wife and seven children. Five of them were married, while a son and daughter lived with him, police sources said.