FIR filed against 6 persons over hopper collapse at Chhattisgarh factory – The Week

Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh), Sep 11 (PTI) – Police have filed a case against six persons, including the managing director of an alumina refinery in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district, after four workers were killed when a hopper collapsed at the plant, an official said on Wednesday.

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

General Manager Rajkumar Singh, Supervisor Ranjit Chaudhary, Production Manager Tej Malani, Boiler Supervisor BK Mishra, Contractor Vipin Mishra, Boiler Supervisor Rakesh Kumar and other responsible persons of the company have been booked under sections 106(1) (culpable homicide) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said.

So far, no arrests have been made in this case, he added.

On Sunday, four workers were killed and two others injured at the plant, which processes bauxite into alumina, when a hopper filled with coal collapsed on them, the official said.
Aluminium oxide is used to produce aluminium.

Preliminary investigation and questioning of witnesses suggested that the company owner had handed over the entire control of the plant to General Manager Singh, Foreman Chaudhary, Production Manager Malani and Boiler Manager BK Mishra.
They have in turn handed over the operational work to contractor Vipin Mishra, he said.

Under the supervision of Vipin Mishra, the boiler operations (hopper operations) are being carried out by boiler in-charges Manoj Singh and Rakesh Kumar, he said.
Manoj Singh was among the four people who died in the incident.

Allegedly, crushed coal was filled into the hopper instead of straw, which led to the hopper collapsing due to excess weight, the official said, adding that this showed negligence on the part of the company management.

It was found that the defendants worked negligently and carelessly without providing safety equipment to the workers, which led to the accident, he said.
The case is being investigated further, he added.