Mizoram stone quarry disaster: Prime Minister Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin

Expressing deep grief over the loss of lives due to a stone quarry collapse in Mizoram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 16 announced ex-gratia for the kin of each deceased.

''My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones due to the tragic stone quarry collapse in Mizoram. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh would be given from PMNRF to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi,'' the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tweeted.

Two more bodies have recovered so far from the disaster site and they have been identified as Shofiqul Islam (26), a resident of Jaleswar Bill, Goalpara, Assam, and Kahamrai (49), a resident of Zawlpui, Lunglei district, Mizoram.

As per sources, the two dead bodies have been brought to the District Hospital in Mizoram for Post Mortem Examination following which the bodies will be handed over to the ABCI authority after necessary protocols are done.

A total of 10 bodies have been recovered out of the 12 trapped labourers while rescue operations continue to recover the other two missing labourers.

As per officials, the eight bodies that were recovered earlier and being transported to Aizawl reached at 12:30 am on November 16 for embalming and packing of dead bodies. Thereafter, the bodies will further proceed to Lengpui Airport at 8:00 am.

Assam Rifles party was one of the first responders to reach the incident site along with the medical team and helped in the clearing of debris and recovery of bodies.

In an unfortunate incident, ten people have lost their lives while two others still missing after a stone quarry collapsed in Mizoram’s Hnahthial district, an official statement said on November 15.