Five killed in Ambuja Cements industrial accident, India

An industrial incident at Ambuja Cement’s plant in Balodabazar district, Chhattisgarh, has claimed the lives of five factory workers.

Local press have reported that the fatalities occurred due to a fly-ash hopper situated on the fifth floor was allegedly overloaded during a maintenance operation and collapsed and crashing four floors below.

Police have registered a case against the company management, while the State Labour Department has ordered closure of all plant operations till the probe is over, government sources said.

A six-member panel headed by Additional Collector of Balodabazar district has been constituted to conduct the magisterial probe, which will submit its report within a week.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh has directed factory management to provide compensation of INR10 lakh to the kin of each victim and a job to one member of their families, government sources said.

The civil rights organisation, the People’s Union of Democratic Rights, has also demanded an independent investigation into the industrial accident.