Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Thursday, 2 July visited a Bengaluru hospital to meet workers injured in the Madappatna quarry tragedy, demanding ₹50 lakh compensation for each deceased worker's family and blaming the state government's alleged negligence for the disaster that claimed seven lives. The incident, which occurred at the Kaveri Crusher unit in Madappatna village under the Tavarekere Police Station limits in Bengaluru South taluk, has triggered sharp political reactions and raised fresh questions about quarrying oversight in Karnataka.

What Happened at the Quarry

At least seven migrant labourers — from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and North Karnataka — were killed early Thursday morning when a massive boulder crashed onto workers at the stone quarry site. BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra noted in his statement that more than five people were still reported missing, with rescue operations underway to locate those trapped beneath the debris. Ashoka said the bodies of the deceased had been so severely mutilated in the collapse that identification was proving difficult.

Opposition's Demands and Allegations

After meeting the injured workers and consulting with doctors, Ashoka urged the state government to provide ₹50 lakh to the family of each deceased worker and ₹10 lakh in financial assistance to every injured worker, citing the likelihood of prolonged treatment and rehabilitation. He alleged that the tragedy was 'entirely the result of the state government's negligence,' claiming that illegal quarrying was rampant across Karnataka and that licences were being obtained in the names of politicians — an allegation the state government has not yet publicly responded to.

Ashoka also criticised the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, alleging that it had failed to effectively monitor quarrying operations at a site located barely 15 kilometres from Bengaluru. He further alleged that no arrests had been made several hours after the incident and that neither ministers nor senior district officials had promptly visited the site.

BJP State President Calls for High-Level Inquiry

Vijayendra, reacting to the tragedy, said he was 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the loss of seven innocent workers. He urged the state government to immediately intensify rescue operations for those still missing, ensure proper medical treatment for the injured, and order a high-level inquiry into the incident. He also demanded that stringent safety regulations be enforced across quarry and crusher operations to prevent recurrence.

Broader Political Context

Separately, Ashoka used the occasion to criticise the Congress-led state government over the Karnataka High Court's interim stay on the government's decision to withdraw 52 criminal cases. He alleged the government was adopting discriminatory policies in selectively withdrawing cases against certain organisations and welcomed the High Court's intervention. The dual front — the quarry tragedy and the case-withdrawal controversy — underscores the mounting pressure on the Karnataka government from the opposition ahead of local political cycles. This comes amid a broader pattern of quarrying-related fatalities in Karnataka, with critics arguing that regulatory enforcement has consistently lagged behind the sector's rapid expansion.