Bhubaneswar, Jun 23 (IANS): In a shocking incident, four children, including three girls, died after falling in a rainwater-filled pit, dug up for road construction work, in Odisha's Koraput district on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place at Majhiguda village of the district as the children were playing near the pit, the police said.

Locals alleged that the incident happened due to the negligence of the contracting company, which is constructing a road under Bharatmala programme.

The company had dug the pit and due to heavy rain, it was filled with rainwater and looked like a small pond, local sarpanch Manohar Radhua alleged.

"After getting information, a team of Sadar police station immediately reached the spot and started investigation," said Koraput Sub-Divisional Police Officer Manoj Pujari. The bodies, recovered by the villagers, have been sent for post-mortem examination.

A pall of gloom descended in the Majhiguda village following the incident.