Four workers lost their lives and six others were injured after a service lift collapsed at a power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district late Tuesday night.
The incident occurred at RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd’s facility in Ucchpinda village, under Dabhra area, Sakti Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma told PTI.
Ankita Sharma told PTI that 10 workers were descending in the lift after completing their shift when it suddenly plummeted. All occupants sustained injuries and were rushed to Jindal Fortis Hospital in nearby Raigarh, where four were declared dead during treatment.
The remaining six are currently undergoing medical care.
The deceased were identified as Anjani Kannojia (35), Mishri Lal Dewangan (49), Bablu Gupta (28), all natives of Uttar Pradesh, and Ravindar Ravi (36) of Jharkhand, she said.
The capacity of the lift was around 2,000 kilograms and its maintenance work was done recently on September 29, Sharma said.
Based on preliminary investigation, a case was registered under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the company's directors and other responsible officials for alleged gross negligence and violations of safety standards, a police statement said.
The accused named in the FIR included Directors Andal Arumugam and TM Singaravel, Plant Head and Additional Director (name yet to be mentioned), Factory Manager Sammukh Rao, Boiler and Turbine Maintenance Head Kamlesh Kumar Agarwal, Safety Officer Manoj Raut, Maintenance Officer Vesalimani, Lift Engineer Krishna Gaurav and others.
Immediately after the incident, a police team was deployed at the plant premises to provide necessary assistance to the victims' family members and maintain law and order, officials said.
The SP has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, it added.
Taking serious note of the accident, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct a magisterial enquiry, an official statement said.
The probe will focus on several points including whether the accident resulted from technical failure or human error, the frequency and findings of inspections conducted by the Industrial Health and Safety Department, identification of individuals responsible for the accident and preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future, it said.
The SDM has been instructed to submit the report within 30 days, it added.
The administration has assured proper medical care for the injured and all possible assistance to the families of the deceased, the release said.
