7 more workers turn up at hospital with pellet injuries

Nagpur/Pulgaon: Seven more injured workers turned up at the government hospital in Wardha, a day after the blast at army’s Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) in Pulgaon which claimed the lives of six people. This takes the number of injured to 17. Number of dead remains at six.
On Monday, after the blast took place around 7.15am, the number of injured was 10. All were contract workers engaged in unloading of ammunition boxes at the CAD. Some others with minor injuries were sent back after first aid. Later, several from this lot returned to the government hospital as the pain worsened.

“When I went to the hospital after the incident I did not feel any pain. Later, there was a swelling on my right leg,” said Vaibhav Kene, one of the injured workers.

The others injured are Lahu Zele, Nilesh Moon, Vikram Thakre, Amit Bhovate, Pradip Kakde and Hanumant Sarate.

A senior doctor at the hospital said, “The pellets remained lodged in their bodies but the workers did not realize it immediately. Some may have also undergone treatment at private hospitals near their villages. Thankfully, the pieces have not pierced much and no major surgeries may be needed,” said the doctor.

Meanwhile, officers at the CAD termed the incident to be a “stroke of bad luck”. Colonel Paramjit Singh of the CAD told newspersons that a worker had tripped over a pothole while carrying the box of ammunition leading to the blast.

“Had it not been the pothole, the man would not have fallen,” he said.

The officer spoke to the media who had come to the CAD along with the Union minister of home Hansraj Ahir on Wednesday.

TOI saw that the ground where the destruction of ammunition takes place is undulated terrain. Workers who carry the boxes on their heads have to be careful while walking.

Pits are dug for carrying out safe explosions for demolition of worn-out or discarded ammunition. Even though scribes were not taken close to the accident site, open pits could be seen all around.

Singh, however, did not clarify if the worker had tripped on a natural depression on the ground or a pit dug up for explosion.

The person who dropped the box has not been identified. It is believed that it could be one of the older workers. Among the dead was 55-year-old Narayan Pachare of Sonegaon village which is next to the blast site. He died on the spot.

The officers’ version also partially matched with that of the workers who were injured. They said the box fell or perhaps was thrown down. None of the workers could exactly recall the incident.

Singh also clarified that the workers role was limited to only carrying the ammunition boxes to the pit where the explosion is done and fill it up with sand. “They have no role in detonating the blast or any other operation,” he said.

On the day of the accident, some of the survivors claimed that the workers were also made to lay the explosives and the wires while the blast was triggered by the officials.