Jammu, May 20 (IANS): Ten labourers were still missing while three were rescued on Friday in the tunnel collapse accident on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in J&K's Ramban district.
Police sources said around ten labourers were still missing, mostly non-locals after an under construction tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district collapsed Thursday night.
"Chances of survival of the trapped persons remain slim as the debris is all around.
"A joint rescue operation was launched immediately after a portion of the tunnel at Khooni Nallah collapsed on Thursday night.
"At around 10.15 p.m. on May 19, the Ajit tunnel of T3 caved-in near Khooni Nallah Ramban, trapping more than a dozen labourers of Sarla Company working at the site," sources said.
Three persons were rescued and shifted to the district hospital Ramban from where one of them, Vishnu Gola, 33, of Jharkhand has been referred to GMC Jammu for advanced treatment.
"Rescue operation is still going on.
"It is likely to take more time as rock breakers are being used to create space for reaching the trapped persons," sources added.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban, alongwith Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban, Project Director NHAI and the representatives of Construction Company are at the spot.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban Masrat-ul-Islam said the construction company officials have informed that ten persons were missing.
Asked about the wellbeing of the missing persons, he said that "nothing can be said as of now.
"The length of the tunnel is around three meters only and whether they are inside it or outside the tunnel area is not specifically known also.
"Debris is all-around. There are chances of suffocation also. The rescue operation has been going on since 12 a.m.
"It is a delicate operation as far as vulnerability is concerned. Shooting stones are continuously happening and even heavy machinery cannot be employed given the fact that shooting stones fall continuously."
The missing persons have been identified as Jadav Roy (23), Gautam Roy (22), Sudhir Roy(31), Dipak Roy (33) and Parimal Roy (38), all from West Bengal; Shiva Chowhan (26) from Assam; Nawaraj Chowdhury (26) Aand Kushi Ram (25), both from Nepal; Muzaffar (38) and Israt (30), both locals.