Two workers from Odisha were killed and six others injured in an accident at an under-construction tunnel of the Patna metro rail on Monday night.

The accident occurred near the Patna University at around 10pm when a large group of workers were working around a loco pick-up machine which developed some snag and ran over them.

Monisha Dubey, public relations officer of the Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRCL), said: “One person died on the spot while six were injured due to a mechanical failure. They were working in the tunnel number one at the Patna University site. The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital, of which one died while undergoing medical treatment.”

The PMRCL identified the deceased as tunnelling helper Manoj Behera, 27, and loco operator Bijaya Kumar Behera, 36.

Dubey said that the post-mortem of the bodies have been conducted and arrangements have been made to send them to their native places in Odisha.

She said: “The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has decided to pay ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased as per its norms. Apart from it infrastructure firm Larsen and Toubro, which is doing the construction work, will pay compensation to their families. The Bihar labour resources department will decide the amount to be paid.”

Dubey added that the “investigation into the incident was being conducted and a further report will be sent in the due course.”

A large number of workers protested at the accident site on Monday night and Tuesday. They accused the authorities of trying to suppress information.