SANGAREDDY: The death toll in the devastating blast at the Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram rose to 42 on Sunday with the death of Jitender, one of the victims undergoing treatment at Dhruva hospital, and the identification of one of the remains as that of a missing person, Akhil.
Authorities are still searching for eight more missing persons, with identification efforts underway. They collected a second round of blood samples from the victims’ kin, as DNA reports from the initial set were inconclusive. These new samples have been sent to forensic labs for further analysis.
With the help of latest DNA test results, the officials also identified two more bodies lying in the morgue of the Patancheru hospital as that of Ramanjanyulu from Andhra Pradesh and Chicken Singh from Madhya Pradesh. The bodies were handed over to their relatives.
“A total of four body fragments, mainly pieces of bones, were recovered today. These are being sent to the forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Hyderabad for DNA analysis to establish identity,” said Patancheru government hospital Superintendent (SP) Srinivas Reddy.
Collector assures dignified final rites and support for blast victims’ families
Sangareddy: District Collector P Pravinya has directed officials to ensure that the mortal remains of blast victims are handed over to their families with full dignity and honour. On Sunday, she visited the hospital and mortuary where the bodies are being identified and given to the relatives. News of the Collector’s visit drew scores of grieving family members, who approached her seeking updates on their loved ones. Pravinya assured them that all necessary support would be provided without delay or obstruction. She informed the families that the search and identification efforts are underway, involving officials from the revenue, police, municipal, fire, and HYDRAA departments. DNA testing is being conducted to match and identify the mortal remains of unrecognised victims. The collector stated that, so far, 42 bodies have been handed over to their families. Eighteen people are currently undergoing treatment in hospital, while eight persons remain missing as DNA sample matching is awaited.