Mohali, September 19 — A 46-year-old woman died on Thursday after her dupatta became entangled in a drill machine at an industrial unit in Phase 8B, Mohali. The victim, identified as Urmila, a native of Uttar Pradesh who lived in Balongi, was pulled into the machine and died instantly, according to eyewitnesses.
The accident occurred around 10 a.m. when Urmila was reportedly operating the drill. “Her dupatta got stuck in the machine, and within seconds she was dragged into it,” said a co-worker present at the site.
The woman’s family accused the factory management of negligence, alleging she was assigned to operate the machine without proper training or safety measures. “They made her work on equipment she was not trained to handle. This is nothing but cost-cutting at the expense of human lives,” a family member said.
Some co-workers backed the family’s claim, stating that safety guidelines were not enforced. One employee admitted that workers are generally told not to use drill machines while wearing scarves but added, “I don’t know why she was allowed to operate the machine in such a risky condition.”
The family also questioned the delay in the police response. They alleged that despite the accident happening in the morning, officers arrived on the scene only around 2:30 p.m. “We appeal to the administration to take strict action against the factory owner and hold him accountable,” the family noted.
Police have yet to release a detailed statement on the incident.
