The explosion in the sugar factory took place on Sunday morning. (Photo credit: ANI)Four people were killed and three critically injured after a boiler exploded at a sugar factory in Bagalkot district of Karnataka on Sunday, news agency PTI reported. According to media reports, the incident took place in Nirani Sugars Limited at Mudhol earlier in the day.
The sugar factory unit is part of the Nirani Group and is owned by the Nirani brothers — former BJP minister Murugesh Nirani and his brothers, Sangamesh and Hanumantha.
The incident took place around noon at the distillery of Nirani Group of Industries in Kulali village of Mudhol area — 510 km northwest of here. The explosion appeared to be at the safety valve of an effluent treatment plant, police said. The condition of the injured are said to be stable, police said, adding that investigations were on into the matter.
Confirming the incident, Nirani said, “The explosion happened outside our factory premises at the wastewater treatment plant. There was an accumulation of methane, which caused the explosion.”
He added, “I am extremely sorry for the incident. I condole the death of four men killed in the tragedy. Three were injured, but they are out of danger, it seems.”
In September, a massive explosion in a petrochemical factory in Madhya Pradesh’s Bijnor district had claimed the lives of six labourers.
An FIR was registered against Kuldeep Singh, the owner of the factory, and its manager under various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Singh’s family had announced a compensation of Rs 12 lakh for the kin of each of the deceased.
