Bhandara, 14 March

The blast in the ordnance factory in Maharashtra’s Bhandara district on January 24, which claimed nine lives, was the result of alleged negligence in repairing machines and instruments, an official has said.

Four officials from the defence production unit, where trainees were allegedly made to work in highly sensitive areas, have been named in the FIR (first information report) registered on March 8 by the Jawahar Nagar police.

The police action is based on the findings of a probe committee formed after the accident that also left four injured, the official said on Thursday.

The FIR has named Devendra Meena, divisional officer of the safety section, Aadil Farooqui, junior works manager of the maintenance department, section administration officer Anandrao Faye, and Sanjay Dhapade from the general administration department. A few other unnamed officials have also been booked.

According to the police, an inquiry found that the “Extrumix machine and other instruments in the LTPE (Low Temperature Plastic Explosives) section of the RX department in building number 23” had deteriorated, but repairs were neglected, ultimately leading to the blast.

Also, trainees were assigned to work in highly sensitive sections of the unit.

The case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 106(1) concerning causing death by negligence and 125 (b) which pertains to “act endangering life or personal safety of others”.

Eight workers were killed on the spot and five others injured after a massive blast tore through the LTPE building number 23 in the HEX (High Energy Explosives) sub-division at the Ordnance Factory Bhandara located in Jawahar Nagar area of the district on the morning of January 24.

Another person succumbed to his injuries later, bringing the death toll to nine.