Labour leader killed in industrial accident at VISP Bhadravathi

Shivamogga: In a tragic incident on Monday night, Vinod Kumar, 36, a prominent labour leader and former vice-president of the VISL contract workers' union, was killed during an industrial accident at the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISP), Bhadravati.The fatality occurred during the second shift while iron billets were being unloaded from a crane. A heavy-duty chain snapped unexpectedly, causing a massive iron billet weighing over one tonne to crash down onto Vinod, police said. Despite his desperate attempt to escape the falling weight, he sustained catastrophic injuries to his head and legs.Following the accident, co-workers immediately rushed him to a local hospital, but as his condition worsened, he was referred to a private super-speciality hospital in Shivamogga. Colleagues who accompanied him in the ambulance mentioned that Vinod was conscious for a brief period, repeatedly expressing a final wish to see his young daughter. Sadly, he breathed his last just as the ambulance was reaching the outskirts of Shivamogga, labourers informed.Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra visited the hospital to offer his condolences, noting that Vinod was a tireless advocate who fought for the rights of the labour community.On Tuesday morning, a large number of grieving factory workers and acquaintances gathered at the hospital to pay their final respects.