Two children die after being buried in soil at brick kiln in Bolpur, villagers protest

Two children lost their lives after being buried under soil while playing near a brick kiln in Baradiha village under Singi Gram Panchayat. The victims, seven-year-old Rocky Murmu and eight-year-old Kanchan Soren, fell into a deep pit dug for brick-making on Monday evening. The soil collapsed on them, leading to their deaths on the spot.

As news spread, locals rushed to the scene and retrieved the bodies. In protest, they placed the bodies on the Bolpur-Singi road, blocking traffic for several hours. The villagers demanded accountability and stricter safety measures at brick kilns to prevent such accidents. The protest caused significant disruption, with vehicles stranded on both sides of the blocked road.

A police team, led by Bolpur SDPO Ricky Agarwal, arrived to control the situation but faced resistance from the crowd. Protesters, some carrying sticks, surrounded the officers and prevented them from taking the bodies for post-mortem. Police vehicles were also obstructed. After an hour of discussions, the villagers allowed the police to proceed.

Brick kiln owner Sushil Rai, when asked about the incident, said, "This was an accident. I don’t have much information as I was away." Meanwhile, police have sent both bodies for post-mortem and initiated an inquiry to determine any negligence involved. Officials are also assessing whether the brick kiln was operating within safety guidelines.

Tension remained high in the area on Tuesday morning, with security personnel deployed to maintain order. Local authorities are monitoring the situation, while residents continue to demand safety regulations at brick kilns. The investigation is ongoing, and police are expected to submit a report after the post-mortem findings.