Woman and daughter die after 50-ft high heap of garbage collapses on them

Nashik: A 40-year-old woman and her minor daughter were killed after they allegedly got buried under a 50-ft high garbage heap which collapsed on them at a dumping ground here, police said on Friday. The incident took place on Wednesday but the bodies of the duo were pulled out of the dumping site last night by Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) authorities after a five-hour-long search operation, they said. [caption id=“attachment_2756256” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The victims, Poonam Mali and Komal Mali (8), who had gone to collect firewood for cooking at the civic body’s garbage depot at Vilholi Naka died of asphyxiation after getting trapped under the waste, according to an official at Indira Nagar police. The matter came to light when the duo, both slum dwellers of Kavathewadi, did not return home till Wednesday evening following which their family approached NMC officials and Sena activist Sudam Demse, police said. Subsequently, civic officials with the help of JCB machines rushed to the spot yesterday and succeeded in tracing the bodies last night, police said, adding an offence has been registered under CrPC section 174 besides a case of accidental death. Speaking to reporters, Demse alleged that the incident happened due to negligence of NMC administration and demanded construction of a compound wall for the garbage depot.