Migrant Worker Dies as Can Explodes in Scrap Dump

CHENNAI: In a freak accident, a 21-year-old worker from Bihar was killed and four hurt on Wednesday when a can containing a mysterious chemical exploded in a heap of iron scrap dumped behind a company in Gummidipoondi.

The police said it was not clear what the chemical was, but the explosion was so intense that the worker, who was handling it, died on the spot and another, who was sitting on an earthmover, was thrown on the ground.

The incident took place behind the premises of Suryadev Alloys & Power Private Ltd in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate. The police said the iron and other scrap were dumped in the area and the workers were engaged in collecting them for recycling.

“Four workers were standing in the yard and another was driving an earthmover to clear the debris. Asthab (21) found the blue can in  the scrap and took it. He shook it to check its contents when the can burst. He died on the spot and four others around him were injured,” said a police officer.

Asthab’s father Mobeen (55), his uncle Alam (60) and another worker Krishnadas (65), who were standing nearby, were also severely injured. The three were rushed to a government hospital in Chennai for treatment. Abishai (21), who was driving the earthmover, fell on the ground, under the impact of the blast. Krishna Das and Abishai also hail from Bihar. “We are still unclear what the chemical was and it will known only during further investigations,” said sub-inspector Alamelu of SIPCOT police station.

Raid by Kerala Cops

The city office of a businessman who was one arrested by the Kerala crime branch last week, was raided here on Wednesday. Kerala Police sources said Vijayakumar (64), a native of Palakkad, was arrested on Friday last for duping a businessman to the tune of `22.5 crore after promising them land on East Coast Road (ECR). Vijayakumar produced fake documents to claim his 7.5 acre prime property was attached by Income Tax officials.

His office, VSA Exports and Imports, located in second lane beach road was raided for over an hour during which several incriminating documents were seized. He had promised to get the land registered in the businessman’s name for half the market price, but then started dodging saying it was in possession of the IT department. He has two other offices in Kerala. He also had a set of visiting cards, some of which claimed he was a CBI Inspector.

Chain snatcher held

A 39-year-old woman caught a person who tried to snatch her 12 sovereign gold chain while she was on a morning walk in Mogappair. Police said Revathi Vijayakumar dragged the suspect by his collar which threw him off balance and he fell from the bike on which he tried to escape. Few other walkers overpowered him and pinned him down until JJ Nagar police arrived and took him into custody.

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