Varanasi: At least two labourers were killed, while one suffered grave injuries when steel framework of pillar of an under-construction bridge on Saryu river collapsed, in Turtipar area under Ubhav police station in Ballia district on Wednesday.Ballia district magistrate M P Singh said a team of officials led by SDM was sent to the accident site to probe into the matter and submit to him a detailed report on cause of the incident in order to fix accountability.ASP (northern) Dinesh Kumar Shukla said labourers were busy with installation of steel framework of the under-construction bridge on Saryu at Turtipar on Wednesday morning when the pillar collapsed. Three of them, including Pappu (3), Amit (29) of Lakhimpur-Kheri and Jugal (21) of Pilibhit district, were buried under the steel rods.Ubhav police reached the spot and, with the help of other labourers and locals, rescued the trio and rushed to the local hospital, where Pappu and Amit were declared dead. Jugal was referred to the district hospital and legal proceedings and investigation are underway, said the ASP.Eyewitnesses said that during construction work, heavy rebar framework collapsed suddenly, trapping the labourers. There was panic and chaos at the construction site as locals gathered in large numbers. Questioning safety standards in construction work, they demanded strict action against those whose laxity led to the incident. TNN
