A worker engaged in sand quarrying was killed and three others were seriously injured when a portion of the dug out sand caved in on them at Valarpuram near Arakkonam on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Thangavel, 27, of Valarpuram.

The injured, Sarkildas, 45, Nagaraj, 32, and Elumalai, 35, were rushed to a private hospital in Tiruttani.

The workers were buried underneath the excavated sand at the quarry.

Three of them were rescued by other workers but unfortunately Thangavel died under the impact.

Workers have been engaged in such sand mining activities on the river banks on a regular basis without using any safety measures. Many of them work under a contractor attached to a company or local political leader and are deprived of any benefits except the daily wages.

The Arakkonam taluk police who registered a case sent the body of Thangavel to the Government Hospital in Arakkonam for post-mortem. According to the locals, such incidents were not new in these parts.