Bengaluru: In a freak mishap, a 25-year-old youth died after being buried alive under a pile of garbage at the Bellahalli Landfill in Bengaluru.

The victim identified as Mithun, a native of West Bengal and a resident of Rajanakunte was a ragpicker by profession. On March 28 evening, he had gone to the landfill along with five others at around 6.30 pm to collect recyclable waste from the pile of garbage.

However, a BBMP mechanized loading shovel, which was dumping garbage at the spot where Mithun was, dumped a huge pile of it on him. While those accompanying him immediately rushed to his help they could not save him since it took them some time to reach him through the pile of garbage.

It is gathered that Mithun who was soon going to be a father was trying to make some extra money to support both his wife and child by selling the recyclables collected from the landfill in the scrap market.

A case has been registered against the BBMP contractor, the driver of the earthmover and other officials concerned under Section 304 (A) (causing death due to negligence) of the IPC.

However, according to a BBMP official who termed the incident as an accident, the driver of the earthmover was positioned inside a glass chamber which offered him limited view because of which he could not see Mithun in the vicinity.