Two people, including an engineer, died while demoulding the world's largest bell at Kota's Chambal riverfront in Rajasthan, sources said on Monday.
Casting engineer Devendra Arya, who was standing on the box along with a labourer, fell from a height of about 35 feet on Sunday.
Both were rushed to a private hospital in Talwandi, Kota where they were declared dead.
Kunhadi police station officer Mahendra Kumar said the incident took place when the work of removing the bell from the mould box was in progress.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, engineer Devendra Arya and labourer Chhotu were busy removing the bell from the box. The bell was being removed with the help of a hydraulic crane.
Suddenly, the topmost girder (iron joint) slipped the moment it touched the hydraulic machine and broke into three.
This led to the two losing their balance and falling from a height of 35 feet. They suffered serious injuries.
While Chhotu died as soon as he was taken to the hospital, the engineer succumbed to his injuries during treatment at 5 p.m.
Notably, the bell is in the mould box and had to be removed this month.
The work of taking the world's largest bell out of the mould resumed this month.
UIT and the contractor had called the mould making engineer Devendra Arya on November 3.
Prior to this, Urban Development Trust (UIT) and another contractor had tried demoulding for 80 days before giving up and calling Devendra again. After which the work was resumed.
The bell weighing 79,000 kg was created by Devendra Arya by setting up a temporary factory on the riverfront.
Later, there was a dispute between architects Anoop Baratiya and Arya over taking the credit for it and the latter had returned without removing the bell from the mould.
Arya had claimed that the bell would be removed only after the chemicals he had used while casting the bell were made to react in a specific manner and no one has this information except him.
Earlier, he had accused the UIT and the contractor alleging that the credit for making the bell was given to its designer and the UIT contractor has also withheld payment of Rs 1.5 crore.
Arya had refused to take the bell out of the mould until the payment was received. "If I don't take it out, no one will be able to do so."
After the statement, Arya had also called a press conference, but cancelled it later.
IMD and TU signs MoU for indigenous lightning detection system development
In a significant step towards enhancing India's capabilities in weather monitoring and research, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Department of Physics, Tripura University.
Tripura Chief Minister hails Officers for promoting transparency in governance
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that officers in the state government are playing a key role in making the administration corruption-free which is an example of Good Governance.
NEC Plenary to usher development for Tripura: CM
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that the recently held Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) will greatly benefit the state and other North Eastern states; as such meetings will bring more development works to this region.
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seizes drug items worth Rs 56.525 Cr this December; 15 persons detained
In a major crackdown on the smuggling and trafficking of contraband narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) carried out a focused operation in the month of December 2024 in the North Eastern Region.
CPI(M) opts for young leaders in Tripura, chooses 87 pc new faces in divisional committees
Around 87 per cent of new faces were elected as secretaries in the CPI(M)’s Divisional Committees in Tripura replacing old guards, a party leader said here on Tuesday.
PCC urges CM to disclose NEC's decisions before public
Tripura Congress President Asish Kumar Saha on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha urging him to inform the citizens of the Tripura about what decisions were taken in the NEC Plenary Session for the development of Tripura and this region.
Tripura making significant strides towards rapid development: CM Dr Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that the present state government is committed to delivering good governance to all sections of society, with the state making significant strides towards rapid development.
Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb slams Congress's dynastic politics
Former Tripura Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha MP, Biplab Kumar Deb, on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party's dynastic politics, accusing it of surrendering power to the communists in the state due to family-based succession.