Three workers were buried to death in a sand mine at Khadgabhanjyang-9 in Nuwakot on Thursday.

Police said Bikash Tamang, 35, Prakash Tamang, 23, and Shankar Rai, 22, died in the accident.

Eyewitnesses said the three men were buried when a massive sand mound caved in while they were quarrying sand using shovels and picks.

It took nearly five hours to pull out the bodies buried under sand. The bodies were then taken to Trishuli Hospital for autopsy.

Illegal mining of sand and stones is rampant in the area, some locals said.  Whether the sand mine where the accident occurred on Thursday morning was operating without the authority’s permit is under investigation, police said.