A 38-year-old dairy farmer lost his life when he was struck by a rock as a result of a blast at a private stone quarry in Edapalayam village, near Vandavasi town in Tiruvannamalai.
Police said that the victim, V. Arumugam, was a farmer who was engaged in poultry and dairy farming on his three-acre agricultural plot in the village. A private stone quarry had been operational around 300 metres from his farmland for the past few years.
According to police reports, workers at the quarry stored explosives in a section of the rocky terrain within the quarry and blasted them. The resulting blast caused rock fragments to scatter throughout the quarry, with some also landing in nearby areas. One of these rocks struck the farmer while he was on his farmland at the time of the incident.
Other farmers and family members promptly rushed him to the Government Taluk Hospital in Arani town. He was later transferred to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Angered by his death, family members, relatives, and residents gheraoed in front of the Vadavanakkampadi police station demanding action against the quarry operators and workers for their failure to implement necessary safety measures before the blast.
Police and revenue officials intervened to calm the agitated residents, who dispersed peacefully following assurances.
A case has been registered, and further investigation is currently underway, the police said.
