Ludhiana Gas Leak Updates: 11 Dead, Rs 2 Lakh Ex Gratia Announced; Doctors Say Gas Affected Brain

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed condolences over the gas leak tragedy in Ludhiana.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar condoled the deaths in the tragic gas leak incident in Ludhiana.

Punjab government announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those admitted to the hospital.

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the gas affected the brain of those who came in contact with it. He added that the NDRF will sample the gas in order to determine its type. “11 people, including 5 members of one family, died. Four others are admitted to the hospital. Their condition is serious. We are lodging a case at the concerned PS. Gas sampling will be done by NDRF, they will confirm what kind of gas it was. Blood sampling of the deceased is also being done. Doctors say that the gas didn’t affect their lungs but the brain,” Sidhu said.

An India Today report claimed that authorities suspect the gas leaked from deep freezers placed inside a grocery store in the Giaspura area. People who went to the store fell unconscious. The NDRF has deployed a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) team of 35 members, who are experts in handling gas leak incidents.

Police said the casualties in the Ludhiana factory gas leak comprise five females and six males. Two boys aged 10 and 13 were among the 11 who died in the incident, while the four people, who were taken ill, are undergoing treatment at a hospital, an ANI report mentioned.

Police further said the two deceased at the SPS hospital were identified as Naveent Kumar, 39, and Neetu Devi, 39.

According to an India Today report, most of the victims who died were migrant labourers. The deceased have been identified as Sourav (35), Varsha (35), Aryan (10), Chulu (16), Abhay (13), Kalpesh (40), unknown female (40), unknown female (25), unknown male (25), Neetu Devi and Navneet Kumar.

Senior Punjab Congress leader and MLA from Dinanagr, Aruna Chaudhary expressed condolences to the family of the deceased in the Ludhiana gas leak and prayed for a speedy recovery of those affected.

“Shocked and saddened to learn about a gas leak in a Ludhiana factory which has claimed 11 lives. My deep condolences to the bereaved families and I wish a speedy recovery to all those affected by this tragedy,” tweeted the Congress leader.

Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik said that the Punjab Government has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the kin of the deceased in the gas leak incident and Rs 50,000 for those undergoing treatment. As many as 11 people, including two children, were killed and many others are feared trapped inside a factory in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana after a gas leak earlier today.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal condoled the deaths in the Ludhiana factory gas leak and prayed for the speedy recovery of survivors. “As the tragedy unfolds in Ludhiana where a gas leak has claimed 11 lives, including 2 children, I express my deep condolences with the bereaved families. May Gurusahab grant eternal peace to the departed souls. Also, pray for the speedy recovery of affected survivors,” Badal tweeted.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over the incident and assured that all possible help is being extended to the affected. “Police, Administration and NDRF teams are present at the spot. All possible help is being extended to the affected,” Mann said.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik said gas contamination might be the reason behind the leak. “11 deaths confirmed till now…In all likelihood, there is some gas contamination which has happened…It is quite likely that maybe some chemical reacted with methane in manholes…All of this is being verified. NDRF is retrieving samples,” Malik said.

According to a Hindustan Times report, a gas leak occurred in the cooling system of Goyal Milk Plant, a factory that produces dairy products. People within a 300-metre radius of the leak were reportedly experiencing difficulty in breathing.

The entire area has been cordoned off and a rescue operation is underway. A 50-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reached the incident site along with a team of doctors and a fire brigade. Locals in the Giaspura area complained of breathing difficulties and said the bodies of those who died in the incident turned blue, an ANI report mentioned. The area has been vacated by the administration.

At least 11 people, including two children, were killed and many others are feared trapped inside a factory in the Giaspura area of Punjab’s Ludhiana after a gas leak on Sunday morning. The leak was first noticed around 7.15 am.