Blast in Chhattisgarh Explosives Factory: FIR Lodged

An FIR has been lodged following a blast in an explosives manufacturing factory in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district, resulting in one death and six injuries. Several individuals, including Avdhesh Jain, have been booked for negligence. The district administration has ordered the shutdown of the unit, and a magisterial probe is underway.

An FIR was lodged on Thursday in connection with the May 25 blast in an explosives manufacturing factory in Chhattisgarh's Bemetara district, which killed one person and injured six, a police official said.

The explosion took place in Special Blasts Limited located in Pirda village in the district's Berla development block and the district administration has said eight workers are missing and body parts found in the debris have been sent for DNA tests.

Company official Avdhesh Jain and others were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304A (causing death by negligence) as well as Explosives Substances Act for allegedly violating rules and committing negligence in storage of explosive materials, he said.

The FIR was registered based on the report of officials of Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nava Raipur and the investigation carried out in connection with the incident, the police official said.

The Bemetara district administration on Wednesday ordered the shutting of production and ''allied activities'' in the unit. A magisterial probe headed by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Berla area), Bemetara district, Pinkey Manhar is also underway.

The state government has announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the factory management will give financial assistance of Rs 30 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and eight missing workers.

The compensation announced by the state government will be given to kin of missing workers after the DNA examination of the body parts found in the debris, officials had said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)