A 60-year-old farmer died after being crushed by a collapsing wall in Jawaharke village, Mansa district, on Sunday morning, as he was heading to his fields.
Jagjivan Singh, the sole breadwinner for a family of four unmarried children, was passing a brick kiln on the main road when the wall collapsed, burying him under tonnes of debris. The horrifying incident was captured on CCTV footage, showing the farmer's final moments as the wall crumbled without warning.
The tragedy unfolded against the backdrop of Punjab's relentless monsoon rains, which have battered the region for several days. The incessant downpours have exposed the fragility of numerous structures across the state, with weakened buildings succumbing to the elements in alarming numbers.
According to reports, locals immediately rushed to the scene, frantically clearing rubble to reach the trapped farmer. Despite their efforts, Jagjivan Singh was declared dead upon arrival at the local civil hospital.
The brick kiln's deteriorating condition had reportedly been flagged previously, with the owner having received warnings about the wall's precarious state.
City-1 police station in charge Jaspreet Singh said that an investigation has been initiated into the incident. "We are examining every aspect of this tragedy, including the CCTV evidence," he stated. "Further action will be determined following statements from the victim's family members."
