The Maharashtra police on Monday registered a case against unidentified persons in connection with the blast at a Nagpur-based explosives manufacturing factory, which claimed nine lives, even as the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) hit out against the ruling Eknath Shinde-led government, accusing it of not being concerned about the lives of poor labourers.
A case was registered against unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code Sections 304(a) (causing death by negligence) and 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) at Kondhali police station near Bazaargaon, where the blast occurred.
Nine persons, including six women, were killed and three others seriously injured when the explosion ripped through a cast booster unit of the Solar Industries India Ltd. at Bazaargaon in rural Nagpur on Sunday.
Dismembered bodies
Police authorities said that search teams today had recovered several dismembered body parts from the site of the blast.
The bodies of the nine workers, who were in the 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, were blown to smithereens following the explosion, while the single-floor facility also caved in.
Irate workers and relatives of the deceased had blocked the Amravati-Nagpur highway near the explosives manufacturing unit, while demanding entry to the company premises in order to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones and seek explanations from the management.
Echoes in Assembly
Meanwhile, the opposition MVA cornered the Shinde government over the Nagpur blast during the ongoing Winter Session of the Maharashtra Assembly.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar demanded a case of culpable homicide be lodged against the company management while the firm should give the kin of the deceased ₹50 lakh in compensation.
The company on Sunday had announced a compensation of ₹25 lakh for the family members of the workers killed in the blast, while the Maharashtra government had announced ₹5 lakh as ex-gratia.
‘Poor safety’
“This same company had granted a compensation of ₹25 lakh to each of the families of deceased workers who were killed during a similar incident in 2018. Five years later, this compensation is being reduced. All families of each of the deceased should at least get ₹50 lakh as compensation. One of their family members must be given a job in the company to compensate for their irreparable harm. The government must find out who is responsible for the deaths,” Mr. Wadettiwar said.
He further alleged that over 11,000 unskilled workers had been employed by the contractor to work in the company with scant regard to safety norms.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole questioned what steps the Shinde government was taking to prevent such incidents in the future while demanding the government review and amend labour safety guidelines.
“The government must act to save the people dying in such accidents. It must answer whether it would amend the laws in this regard. The contractors recruit unskilled workers, thus putting their lives at great peril, especially while working in the explosives factory. Such issues must be discussed on the floor of the Assembly to give justice to the families of the deceased,” Mr. Patole said, demanding an extension of the Winter Session to debate the issue.
Earlier, the Opposition, led by Mr. Wadettiwar had staged a walkout accusing Speaker Rahul Narwekar of allegedly denying them permission to speak on the issue.
