Sylhet: At least six people, including five madrasah students, were killed and another was injured as a portion of hill collapsed on them while extracting stones from a hillock in Kanaighat upazila on Tuesday morning.

The deceased were identified as Nahid Ahmed, 13, his brother Shakil Ahmed, 11, sons of Almas Uddin of Kandala village in Kaliprasad union, Maruf Ahmad, 13, son of Masbir Ali of Kandala village, Abdul Kadir, 13, son of Ana Miah, Jakir Ahmed, 18, son of Yunus Ali, and Sundar Ali, 35, son of Abdul Bari.

Abdul Ahad, officer-in-charge of Kanaighat Police Station, said the incident happened in 'Banglatila' owned by Forest Department around 9am.

Members of Fire Service and Civil Defence launched a drive after the incident and they recovered six bodies and injured Mahfuz Alam, 12, from there, the OC added.

Additional Police Super of Sylhet Shamsul Alam Sarker said the madrasah students were engaged in extracting stones by the Lovachhara River to collect money to purchase their desired products in a makeshift fair which has been arranged marking the waz mahfil of a local madrasah.

Meanwhile, two probe bodies were formed to look into the incident.

Additional deputy commissioner (Revenue) of Sylhet district will lead one of the committees consisting of three members, said Debjit Singha, deputy director of Local Government Engineering Department.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within three days.

Sylhet district police formed the other three-member committee, led by additional police super Abul Hasnat.

This committee has also been asked to submit report within three days.

The families of the deceased were given Tk 15,000 each while the family of the lone injured was provided Tk 10,000 on behalf of the district administration, Singha added.