Overview
- A massive boulder fell at the Kaveri Crusher unit in Madapattana on Thursday, July 2, 2026, killing seven workers and injuring several others as rescue teams cleared debris.
- Police have registered a case and taken the quarry owner into custody for questioning while officers continue searches amid fears the death toll could rise.
- Eyewitnesses and preliminary reports say rock removal was being carried out from the upper ledge with heavy machinery while workers laboured below, a practice that raises immediate safety and procedural concerns.
- Karnataka leaders, including Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, expressed condolences and ordered investigations with a promise of action against quarries that violate safety rules.
- The victims were daily-wage migrant labourers and the collapse has renewed scrutiny of licensing, inspection and enforcement at stone-crushing sites, with officials indicating new guidelines and possible regulatory steps may follow.