Nandapur: A woman was killed and two others were injured after a mound of soil collapsed over them while they were collecting clay for house plastering near a canal in Koraput district, officials said Thursday.
The incident occurred around noon near the Ganga nullah embankment at Niladoraput village under Hikimput panchayat in Nandapur block. The deceased was identified as Gupteshwari Mali, 21, wife of Pushpa Mali, a resident of Katlaput village.
Her sister-in-law, Malati Khil, 28, and niece Kanchan Chhodiya, 13, of Kamarbelagaon village sustained minor injuries and were admitted to the Nandapur Community Health Centre. The incident occurred Thursday when Gupteshwari was returning home with her husband and their 3-year-old differently abled son after visiting her parental home at Kamarbelgaon village.
On their way back, she, along with relatives, stopped near the canal to collect red clay used for plastering houses. Leaving the child with her husband and brother, she went towards the canal bank with Malati, Jayanti Nayak, Kanchan Chhodiya and others to collect soil. Suddenly, a portion of the embankment caved in, burying three of them under the debris.
Malati and Kanchan managed to escape with minor injuries and raised an alarm. Family members and locals rushed to the spot, removed the soil and rescued Gupteshwari. She was taken to the Nandapur Community Health Centre, where doctors pronounced her dead. Nandapur police registered a case (11/2026) and launched an investigation over a complaint filed by her husband.
Nandapur IIC Trinath Totapadia confirmed that a case was registered and ASI Gupteswar Goud was leading the investigation. Malibelgaon sarpanch Prahallad Muduli and residents requested financial assistance for the survivors as the family is very poor.
Nandapur tehsildar Debabrata Moharana stated that the District Collector has been briefed on the incident. This incident follows a similar tragedy three years ago at the same location, where a soil collapse killed two women and seriously injured two others.
