Nagpur explosives factory blast: Owner, manager arrested, get bail

Nagpur, June 14 (PTI) The owner and the manager of an explosives factory near Nagpur city where a blast claimed the lives of six workers were arrested on Friday and subsequently granted bail.

Jay Shivshankar Khemka (49), director of Chamundi Explosives Pvt Ltd, and factory manager Sagar Deshmukh were arrested and produced before a local court.

The Judicial Magistrate First Class, Hingna, granted them cash bail of Rs 50,000 each.

The factory is located in Dhamna village under Hingna police station limits, around 25 km from Nagpur city.

The blast occurred around 1 pm on Thursday. A total of nine injured persons were admitted to two private hospitals in the city, of whom five women and a man died during treatment.

Most of the victims were working in the factory's packaging unit when the explosion took place, according to police.

A case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 304 (a) (causing death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by doing any rash or negligent act) was registered against the director and the manager of the factory on Thursday night, police said.

Subsequently, director Khemka, a resident of Ram Nagar in Nagpur, and manager Deshmukh were arrested, they added.

Meanwhile, Union minister and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari visited the blast site along with officials.

"The factory management has promised to provide Rs 25 lakh to the families of each deceased, while the state government will give Rs 10 lakh," Gadkari told reporters.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, also visited the site. He said guidelines prescribed for such factories should be strictly implemented, and demanded Rs 35 lakh compensation and Rs 20,000 monthly pension for the families of the deceased. PTI COR CLS NP KRK