Octogenarian drowns in abandoned quarry pit at Karukutty near Angamaly

An 80-year-old man was found dead in an abandoned quarry at Karukutty near Angamaly on Wednesday, in an incident that has revived concerns over the safety hazards posed by such disused sites.

Police identified the deceased as Varghese K.V., a resident of Kooranthazathuparambil in Karukutty. The quarry, which lies within his family property, had filled with water over the years, forming a pit lake.

According to the first information report registered by Angamaly police, Varghese is suspected to have slipped into the water while cutting grass near the quarry's edge. He was rushed to the Angamaly taluk hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Local ward member Shaju Melappilly said the quarry had been non-functional for years and was filled with water to a depth of around 20 feet. He added that Varghese had likely gone to the spot to clear bushes around a motor pump installed to draw water from the quarry.

Melappilly noted that a compound wall separates the family plot from the quarry, and that the panchayat had earlier proposed building a protective wall around sections of the quarry accessible from a nearby road. The proposal, however, had not been implemented, leaving the site exposed to risk.