5 killed, 10 injured in boiler explosion at Sasamusa Sugar Mill

Dr K K Kaushhik

Gopalganj : Five persons were killed and 10 others injured, two of them seriously, when a boiler exploded at Sasamusa Sugar Mill in Gopalganj district in the wee hours on December 21, 2017. After the boiler explosion, angry workers set afire vehicles parked inside the premises of the SasamMusa Sugar Mill  attributing the explosion to the owner’s failure to get the machinery repaired despite complaints, according to police. The boiler exploded due to overheating. The Sugar Mill owner has been arrested along with his two sons.

According to Gopalganj SP Mrityunjay Kumar  the explosion took place at 2 am on December 21. The SP said that rescue operation were hit as the irate workers indulged in arson setting ablaze the vehicle of the Mill owner besides a tractor.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to next of kin of each victim. The CM also rushed a team of National Disaster Relief Force and State Disaster Relief Force to Sasamusa to carry out rescue and relief work. The CM also ordered a high level probe into the incident and asked Principal Secretary, Labour Resources, Dipak Kumar, and Principal Secretary, Sugarcane Industries Department, visit the explosion site and investigate into the reasons behind the incident.

Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed his profound shock and grief over the incident and mourned the deceased. He expressed his satisfaction over the action taken by the state government after the incident.