Rock Collapse at Illegal Quarry in Odisha Kills Two Workers

January 4, 2026

At least two workers were killed after a large section of rock collapsed at an unauthorized stone quarry in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district on Saturday evening, officials said. The tragic incident occurred near Gopalpur village under Motanga police limits, where labourers were engaged in drilling and exploration activities.<

#WATCH | Dhenkanal, Odisha: Massive explosion at stone quarry, labourers trapped. pic.twitter.com/v9snDuvaoR

— ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2026

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Rescue and Response Operations Underway

Teams from the Odisha Fire Service and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), along with a dog squad and heavy machinery, rushed to the site to conduct rescue operations. Dhenkanal Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil and Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar personally reached the location to oversee the efforts.

Illegal Quarrying and Expired Permissions

Officials noted that the quarry was operating without valid permissions. The blasting permission expired in September 2025, while the mining lease expired in December 2025. Despite this, blasting and mining continued at the site, prompting authorities to announce legal action against the quarry lease holder.

Victim Details and Local Action

Preliminary reports identified the deceased as migrant workers one from Balasore district and the other believed to be from Keonjhar or Mayurbhanj districts. The quarry has been sealed, and police personnel deployed to prevent further unauthorized entry. Officials also said enforcement against illegal mining activities will be strengthened.

Political and Community Reaction

Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed his condolences on social media and called for a thorough investigation into the safety measures at the site, urging the government to expedite rescue work and review mining regulation enforcement.