Chhattisgarh factory hopper collapse: FIR lodged against 6 persons

Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh: Police have registered an FIR against six persons, including the general manager of an alumina refinery in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district, after the death of four workers in a hopper collapse at the unit, an official said on Wednesday.

The case was registered on Tuesday at Raghunathpur police chowki following an investigation into the tragic incident that took place at Maa Kudargarhi Minerals and Refractories Private Limited on Sunday, he said.

General Manager Rajkumar Singh, supervisor Ranjit Chaudhary, production manager Tej Malani, boiler in-charge BK Mishra, contractor Vipin Mishra, boiler in-charge Rakesh Kumar and other accountable persons of the company have been booked under sections 106 (1) (causing death by negligence) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said.

No arrest has been made in the case so far, he added.

On Sunday, four workers were killed and two others injured after a hopper filled with coal collapsed on them at the factory where bauxite is refined into alumina, the official said.

Alumina is used in making aluminum.

The preliminary investigation and interrogation of witnesses suggested the company's owner had handed over the entire supervision work of the unit to general manager Singh, supervisor Chaudhary, production manager Malani and boiler in-charge BK Mishra.

They had in-turn handed over the operational work to contractor Vipin Mishra, he said.

Under the supervision of Vipin Mishra, the boiler (hopper) operation was being handled by boiler in-charges Manoj Singh and Rakesh Kumar, he said.

Manoj Singh was among the four persons who died in the incident.

Instead of filling straw in the hopper, crushed coal was allegedly being used in it, resulting in its collapse due to overweight, the official said, adding it shows negligence of the company management.

The accused were found to be working negligently and carelessly without providing safety equipment to the workers, which resulted in the accident, he said.

Further probe is on into the case, he added.