Four workers dead as lift crashes at power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti; case against directors

Sakti, Oct 8 (PTI) Four workers were killed and six others injured after a lift crashed at a power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district, officials said on Wednesday, adding that an offence has been registered against two company directors and others for alleged negligence.

The district administration has also ordered a magisterial enquiry, they said.

The incident took place at around 8 pm on Tuesday in the boiler section at RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd's plant in Ucchpinda village under Dabhra police station area, Sakti Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma told PTI.

As per the preliminary information, 10 workers were inside the lift and descending to the ground when it suddenly crashed, she said.

The injured workers were rushed to the Jindal Fortis Hospital in neighbouring Raigarh district, where two of them were declared dead on arrival, and two others succumbed to injuries during treatment. Six others are undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the official said.

The deceased were identified as Anjani Kannojia (35), Mishri Lal Dewangan (49), Bablu Gupta (28), all natives of Uttar Pradesh, and Ravindar Ravi (36) of Jharkhand, she said.

The capacity of the lift was around 2,000 kilograms and its maintenance work was done recently on September 29, Sharma said.

Based on preliminary investigation, a case was registered under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the company's directors and other responsible officials for alleged gross negligence and violations of safety standards, a police statement said.

The accused named in the FIR included Directors Andal Arumugam and TM Singaravel, Plant Head and Additional Director (name yet to be mentioned), Factory Manager Sammukh Rao, Boiler and Turbine Maintenance Head Kamlesh Kumar Agarwal, Safety Officer Manoj Raut, Maintenance Officer Vesalimani, Lift Engineer Krishna Gaurav and others.

Immediately after the incident, a police team was deployed at the plant premises to provide necessary assistance to the victims' family members and maintain law and order, officials said.

The SP has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, it added.

Taking serious note of the accident, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct a magisterial enquiry, an official statement said.

The probe will focus on several points including whether the accident resulted from technical failure or human error, the frequency and findings of inspections conducted by the Industrial Health and Safety Department, identification of individuals responsible for the accident and preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future, it said.

The SDM has been instructed to submit the report within 30 days, it added.

The administration has assured proper medical care for the injured and all possible assistance to the families of the deceased, the release said. PTI COR TKP GK KRK