HYDERABAD: On the 32nd day of the rescue operation at the SLBC tunnel in Nagarkurnool district, rescue teams recovered a second body on Tuesday afternoon. District Collector B. Santosh confirmed the development, identifying the deceased as Manoj Kumar, a project engineer from Uttar Pradesh.
Nearly 18 specialised rescue teams and senior officials have been engaged in operations for over a month. The body was discovered about 13.5 km inside the tunnel, when a mini JCB spotted a human hand while clearing mud and debris. A foul smell also emerged, prompting an intensified effort. After nearly four hours of work, the teams successfully retrieved the body.
The remains were shifted under police supervision to the government hospital in Nagarkurnool, where a post-mortem was conducted. The body will be transported to Uttar Pradesh in a special ambulance.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced a financial assistance of ₹ 25 lakh for the family of Manoj Kumar, to be handed over by a revenue officer.
Rescue operations are continuing to trace the six remaining workers who are still missing.
