Andhra Pradesh: 13 year old girl dies after slipping into granite quary pond in Srikakulam

In a ghastly road accident, a girl named Togarapu Harika (13) died on Tuesday after falling into a granite quarry pit near Nilayyavalasa in Vangara mandal in Srikakulam. The mother next door at the time survived the crash. According to Vangara Sub Inspector Sanchana Chiranjeevi, there was a granite industry near Nilayyavalasa from some years ago. As part of the excavations at that time, a huge pit was formed. Ishwara Rao of village took his wife Santosha Kumari and daughter Harika on a bike and returned home to wash clothes in it.

Shortly after, Harika accidentally slipped into a ditch. The mother, who was there, tried to save her daughter, but she too slipped into the ditch and cried out for help. A farmer on the other side noticed and informed the villagers. The villagers rushed to the scene and rescued Santosha Kumari while Harika was found dead. Mother Santosha Kumari was unconscious, father Ishwara Rao wept. According to the Sub Inspector, the case was registered as per the complaint of the girl's father and the body was shifted to Rajam for postmortem.

YSRCP Congress Party Convener Karanam Sudarshana Rao and locals were incensed that the ownership of the Betin Granite Quarry, which was closed before 2017, was being run negligently. They alleged that no safety measures be taken at the site since the quarry was closed and that the quarry owner be held responsible for the child's death. He was outraged that security fences and warning boards had not been set up at the quarry. Still, locals want authorities to respond and take protective measures.