Three women died after being buried by a mud mound while digging a trench for sewage construction at Phalphul Chowk of Kawasoti Municipality on Thursday.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 6pm after the trio fell into a ditch that they were digging for the municipality’s sewage construction.

Workers Tanmaya Gahamagar and Soti Rana died while undergoing treatment at the Danda-based district hospital, according to Police Inspector Bikram Rijal. Another worker Chameli Darlami Magar’s body could be retrieved from the trench only at 8 pm. All the three victims are from Kawasoti.

The Kawasoti Municipality has been carrying out sewage construction work along the Mahendra Highway for which trenches as deep as nine feet are being dug out.

Locals have protested against the municipality and the contractors, accusing them of not taking even basic safety measures while carrying out the construction work.

The agitating locals encircled and pelted stones at Mayor Bishnu Prasad Bhusal’s house. Security personnel have been deployed in large numbers to prevent any untoward incidents.