Two people, including an engineer, died while demoulding the world's largest bell at Kota's Chambal riverfront in Rajasthan, sources said on Monday.
Casting engineer Devendra Arya, who was standing on the box along with a labourer, fell from a height of about 35 feet on Sunday.
Both were rushed to a private hospital in Talwandi, Kota where they were declared dead.
Kunhadi police station officer Mahendra Kumar said the incident took place when the work of removing the bell from the mould box was in progress.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, engineer Devendra Arya and labourer Chhotu were busy removing the bell from the box. The bell was being removed with the help of a hydraulic crane.
Suddenly, the topmost girder (iron joint) slipped the moment it touched the hydraulic machine and broke into three.
This led to the two losing their balance and falling from a height of 35 feet. They suffered serious injuries.
While Chhotu died as soon as he was taken to the hospital, the engineer succumbed to his injuries during treatment at 5 p.m.
Notably, the bell is in the mould box and had to be removed this month.
The work of taking the world's largest bell out of the mould resumed this month.
UIT and the contractor had called the mould making engineer Devendra Arya on November 3.
Prior to this, Urban Development Trust (UIT) and another contractor had tried demoulding for 80 days before giving up and calling Devendra again. After which the work was resumed.
The bell weighing 79,000 kg was created by Devendra Arya by setting up a temporary factory on the riverfront.
Later, there was a dispute between architects Anoop Baratiya and Arya over taking the credit for it and the latter had returned without removing the bell from the mould.
Arya had claimed that the bell would be removed only after the chemicals he had used while casting the bell were made to react in a specific manner and no one has this information except him.
Earlier, he had accused the UIT and the contractor alleging that the credit for making the bell was given to its designer and the UIT contractor has also withheld payment of Rs 1.5 crore.
Arya had refused to take the bell out of the mould until the payment was received. "If I don't take it out, no one will be able to do so."
After the statement, Arya had also called a press conference, but cancelled it later.
Indian Coast Guard apprehends Pakistani boat with huge consignment of narcotics
In a major success, the Indian Coast Guard, following an overnight aerial-maritime joint operation with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), on Sunday apprehended a Pakistan boat in the Arabian Sea, west of Gujarat's Porbandar, and seized a large haul of narcotics.
Decision to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya should have been taken on next day of Independence, PM Modi says in K'taka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the decision to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya should have been taken the very next day after the country achieved Independence in 1947.
Rahul slams BJD-BJP in Odisha rally, says both in collusion to benefit few corporates
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stepping up the party’s campaign in Odisha on Sunday lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government and the opposition BJP while accusing them of having ‘married’ each other for personal gains and befooling the public.
PM Modi has already scored a century in first two phases of LS polls: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already scored a century of seats in the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls.
Govt extends shutdown of schools in Tripura till May 1, heat wave alert extends
In view of the intense heat wave, the Tripura government has announced an extension of shutdown of all government aided schools and privately managed schools till May 1 next.
Despite having a woman CM, females in West Bengal most unsafe: JP Nadda
BJP national president J. P. Nadda on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying that despite having a woman chief minister, females in the state are most unsafe.
'Shehzada insulted Indian kings and emperors but forgot Aurangzeb's atrocities', PM Modi slams Rahul Gandhi
Coming down heavily on Rahul Gandhi over his recent remark that Rajas and Maharajas used to be "land grabbers", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress leader of playing appeasement politics and forgetting the atrocities committed by the likes of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who destroyed hundreds of temples.
Manipur: Gun battle breaks out among village volunteers of rival groups
Police said that several armed cadres of village volunteers opened indiscriminate fire on Koutruk village in the periphery of Imphal Valley from the adjoining hills in Kangpokpi district, and the armed village volunteers of rival ethnic groups retaliated.