At least five persons were killed in a massive explosion in a boiler that ripped through the Manas Agro Industries & Sugar Ltd. plant at Bela here on Saturday afternoon, the police said.
According to an official of Nagpur Rural Police, at around 2.14 p.m., the blast rocked the factory followed by a fire, grievously burning and killing the workers instantly.
The sugar factory is part of the Manas Group, and was earlier known as Purti Power & Sugar Factory, owned by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's family.
"Prima facie, it appears that the victims were doing some welding work at this particular site and some gas leak may have led to the explosion. The real causes will come out after the probe by the concerned department. We are investigating the matter and lodging the necessary complaints," Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ola, who rushed to the site, told IANS.
The victims have been identified as Liladhar W. Shende, 42, Vasudev Ladi, 30, Praful P. Moon, 25, Sachin P. Waghmare, 24 and Mangesh P. Nakerkar, 21. The police had to pacify the angry crowd before the bodies could be removed from the spot.
Waghmare was the welder at the plant and the others were his team of helpers, and all were engaged in some maintenance work at the time of the explosion which was followed by a fire and clouds of smoke billowing from the premises.
Expressing shock over the tragedy, Shiv Sena leader Kishore Tiwari called for a thorough time-bound probe into the incident to determine whether norms governing the boiler management were adhered to, and follow up with stringent action against the factory officials found negligent.
"All the labourers killed are Dalits and it is the obligation of the factory management to pay a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of each of the victims as they have lost their breadwinners," Tiwari said.
According to some videos of the post-blast scene, at least one two-wheeler vehicle was damaged in the blast.
New textbooks for UP madrasas to be introduced soon
Madrasas and Basic Education Council schools will now have new books for classes 1 and 2 for Urdu language and separate books for mathematics and English.
Day not far when you will travel in bullet train, PM Modi tells Puneites
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured Punekars that it is his guarantee to the citizens of Maharashtra that the day is not far when they will travel in a bullet train.
IMD issues yellow, orange alert for Tripura; predicts heavy to heavy rainfall from May 1
In a major relief for the people of the state of Tripura from the intense heat wave, the India Meteorological Department predicted heavy to heavy rainfall activities over the major parts of the state from May 1 to May 3 next.
CM's post in buzzing capital like Delhi not ceremonial, office holder has to be available 24x7: Delhi HC
Following a sharp rebuke to incarcerated Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his government, along with the AAP-led MCD last week, the Delhi High Court on Monday said that Delhi Government has come to a standstill after the AAP supremo's arrest.
Eight-Year-Old Dies after swing rope rope knots around his neck
In a heartbreaking incident, an eight-year-old boy Satyajit Rudra Pal met with a fatal accident while playing on a swing at his residence in the Chittamara Puran Bazar area, under the jurisdiction of Belonia police station.
SC refuses to halt Calcutta HC order axing 25,753 school jobs, stays CBI probe against govt officials
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to pass any interim direction staying the Calcutta High Court's order cancelling 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.
Five PMs in five years is INDIA bloc's new formula: PM Modi's swipe at Oppn alliance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the INDIA bloc and the Shiv Sena faction led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saying that “they have created a new formula whereby there will be five PMs in five years.”
SC-ST communities no longer secure in country due to Congress' vote bank politics: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the rights of SC-ST communities are no longer secure in the country due to the Congress' vote bank politics.