News

Man buried alive by Indian road-builders after falling into hole

A man in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh was killed after he stumbled into a hole on a road under construction and workers paved over him.

Latori Barman, 45, fell into the hole on the night of Friday, 18 September while walking home from a village fair. According to Indian police, the man was in an inebriated state and lost consciousness after he fell.

Road workers filled the hole with molten bitumen and levelled it with a heavy roller, reports The Times of India.

It was dark and there were no warning signs. He would have been walking in an inebriated condition– A police spokesperson

When the man’s arm was seen sticking out of the asphalt, angry villagers blocked the road until the body was exhumed, and agreed to reopen it only after police had promised to prosecute the construction company involved.

Two of the workers, the man who drove the truck and the labourer who filled the pothole, have been arrested and charged with manslaughter.

A police spokesperson told The Times: "Workers must not have noticed him while filling the pothole with bitumen."

According to police reconstruction of events, Barman had gone to the fair in Rishi Panchmi with his wife, who stayed the night at her parent’s house. He was walking home to his village alone after a brief stop at a liquor shop.

"It was dark and there were no warning signs. He would have been walking in an inebriated condition when he fell into the pit between Udlana and Hata village and lost consciousness. Traffic had been restricted on the stretch as the pit occupied more than half of the road," the spokesperson said.

Barman’s family will be given $760 as compensation.

Photograph for illustration purposes only: A heavy roller was used to press the bitumen into the hole where the man lay (Wikimedia Commons)

Story for GCR? Get in touch via email: [email protected]

Latest articles in News