TUNNEL OF MISCHIEF?: A policeman looking at the tunnel dug by illegal miners at Karaka hills in Golugonda mandal in Visakhapatnam district following reports that an accident in the quarry claimed several lives. - Photo: K.R. Deepak

NARSIPATNAM (VISAKHAPATNAM DT.): Reports on the quarry mishap claiming several lives kept the official machinery in the district on the tenterhooks since the early hours on Monday. After a day-long search by three special parties, the officials declared the reports by a section of electronic media rumours.

"The reports are the handiwork of rumour-mongers as we could not get any trace of bloodstains or any other evidence at the spot where the accident is purported to have occurred,'' Superintendent of Police V.V. Srinivasa Rao, told The Hindu .

Search ordered

As soon as information spread that eight labourers were feared killed when the earth caved in while digging for semi-precious stones (also called gem stones) at Karaka hill in Golugonda mandal on Sunday night, Narsipatnam Circle Inspector Narasimha Rao, Golugonda Mandal Revenue Officer Lazarus, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer M. Parvetasam Naidu and others led the search operation by deploying 50 labourers.

The search continued till late in the evening. During a visit to the "accident spot,'' while some villagers told The Hindu that labourers engaged from neighbouring East and West Godavari districts for carrying out mining might have fled carrying along with them the bodies of `victims,' others said that they did not find any trace of an accident.

Rumours were also agog that one of the bodies from Narsipatnam was buried in the night itself by the family concerned in secrecy. As a precautionary measure, the police stations at Jaggampeta, Y. Ramavaram and other places in East Godavari were also alerted.

Ploy?

Forest Section Officer B. Appa Rao, who led a raid party on Sunday and picked up three labourers at Karaka, said that following a local and non-local conflict over quarrying in the area, some people might have spread rumours of the accident claiming several lives just to see that the outsiders abandon the area.

Alexandarite, one of the most sought-after gem stones is said to be available in plenty in the area attracting traders from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa. Another forest official admitted on condition of anonymity that in some cases, the labourers brought from outside by the traders usually remove the bodies to avoid cases by the police.

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