Guwahati: The body of a 27-year-old man from Assam who went missing when a stone quarry collapsed in south Mizoram’s Hnahthial district was found on Friday, 18 days after the incident, an official said.
According to Hnahthial Sub-Deputy Commissioner Lalramdintluanga, the body of Jahidur Islam from Barpeta district of Assam was recovered from the scene around 5 o’clock.
However, only the upper part of his body (from above his waist) was found, he said.
Despite recent retreats by other rescue teams from the scene, ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd for which Islam had previously worked, maintained the search, he claimed.
It is known that Islam was operating an earth excavator when the tragedy occurred.
The stone quarry collapsed on November 14 at Maudhar village close to Hnahthial town trapping a total of 12 people.
The accident occurred while the personnel were on the job site.
According to Hnahthial Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Kumar, only one labourer out of the thirteen who were working at the time of the big landslide at the stone quarry managed to escape unharmed.
The bodies of the remaining 11 victims were found among the rubble within a week of the incident.
According to officials, out of the 12 victims 5 were from West Bengal, 3 from Assam, 2 from Jharkhand and one each from Tripura and Mizoram.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already pledged an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to each person injured.
The stone quarry was leased by ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd at the time of the incident but the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had taken suo-moto cognizance of it and summoned 7 parties involved to appear before the tribunal on November 28.
NGT representatives could not be reached for comment.
A day after the incident, the state police also opened a criminal investigation against ABCI at the Hnahthial police station.
The superintendent of police of Hnahthial Vineet Kumar stated that the case is being investigated.