Two boys were today buried alive when a heap of soil caved in on them in Turuktopa village of Dumka district, an official said.
The victims - 13-year-old Lokhai Rai and seven-year-old Prakash Rai - climbed up the freshly dumped soil heap to get to the other side, Sub-Divisional Officer Rakesh Kumar said.
The soil heap was from a trench that was recently dug by the workers for a pipeline work in the area, Kumar said, adding that the mound collapsed killing the boys on the spot.
"The villagers retrieved the body of one boy, while an earth mover had to be pressed into service to recover the other body. The two bodies have been sent for post-mortem," the officer said.
The district administration has given Rs 3000 each to the families of the two boys for performing the last rites, he added.