The body of Gurpreet Singh, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operator who was trapped inside the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, has been sent to his native place in Tarn Taran, Punjab.
Rescue operations continue to locate the remaining seven trapped workers.
Singh, employed by Robbins Co, was among the eight men trapped following the tunnel collapse on 22 February. His body was recovered after over 48 hours of painstaking efforts by rescue personnel, during which careful excavation was carried out to avoid further structural instability.
His remains were transported in a special ambulance following post-mortem and other formalities at Nagarkurnool Civil Hospital, official sources confirmed.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh to Singh’s family.
Also read: 525 personnel, robots deployed in SLBC tunnel rescue
According to a senior official, Singh’s body was found buried under approximately 10 feet of silt. His identity was confirmed through a distinguishing earring on his left ear lobe and a tattoo on his right hand.
Search efforts to locate the remaining trapped workers—identified as Manoj Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, and Anuj Sahu (all from Jharkhand)—are ongoing.
The SLBC tunnel collapse trapped engineers and labourers working on the project.
Since the disaster, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, the Navy, and other specialised agencies have been engaged in relentless rescue efforts.
Experts are employing advanced techniques to navigate the unstable terrain and ensure the safety of those still trapped.
Authorities remain hopeful that progress in the operation will yield further breakthroughs in the coming days.
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