RAIPUR: Five workers were killed in a massive explosion that occurred in an explosive manufacturing unit of Navbharat Fuse Company Ltd at Chote Urla Village, Abhanpur Block, about 40km from here, in the early hours of Friday. The explosion reportedly occurred at about 2am when only five workers were present in the unit that manufactures detonating wires. All of them were killed on the spot and the entire unit, which had about 142kg of highly explosive PETN (penta erythritol tetra nitrate) stored in it, came crumbling on the ground from the impact.

The unit, where the mishap occurred, is part of the sprawling 200-acre factory campus of Navbharat Fuse, which manufactures bulk emulsion explosives, marketed under the brand name of Nova Shakti.

The explosion occurred in the detonating cords unit, where PETN is used to coat the fuse.

According to eyewitnesses, the deafening explosion was heard several kilometres away from the factory premises. It was followed by a raging fire, which gutted everything in the unit. The other units/buildings on the premises, including the store where stocks of explosives were kept, were not impacted. "If the explosion had hit other manufacturing units and stores on campus, the results would have been devastating for entire Abhanpur," confided a senior police official.

"The workers did not have any chance of escape," said a police officer. The dead were identified as Komal Singh Thakur, Rekhram Sahu, Ganeesh Harvansh, Makhanlal Nirmalkar and Punauram Yadav, all residents of the same area.

While there was no comment from factory's management, villagers revealed that two other persons, including the factory supervisor, were also on duty. However, they survived as they were not present inside the unit when the explosion occurred. Talking to TOI, Abhanpur SP OP Pal said the supervisor Jitendra Nishad had informed police. He said a case has been registered under Section 304 IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the management and investigations were underway. Pal said the administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and a compensation of Rs 2.25 lakh has been announced for the kin of dead.

None of the promoters of the company were available for comments.

Meanwhile, according to local residents, several demands had been raised in the past to shift the factory due to its hazardous materials. "Small incidents of explosion and fire happen there frequently," they alleged while admitting that a tragedy of this magnitude had never taken place before.

Company name figured in Coalgate scam last year

Navbharat Group was founded by Vijay Kumar Singh, who is the CMD of the company as per their official website. The directors include his wife Dr Neena Singh, who had unsuccessfully contested elections against former chief minister Shyama Sharan Shukla, as a BJP candidate from Rajim constituency.

Navbharat Group was in news last year in connection with the Coalgate scam. According to media reports which quote CAG findings, in 2008 Raman Singh government had recommended an iron ore block of 220 hectares for one of the group companies, Navbharat Fuse. The company had an existing sponge iron plant, and the recommendation for an iron ore block was made on the promise that it would expand its production capacity.

In 2009, the government recommended a coal block worth 36 million tonnes of reserve to another group company named Navbharat Coal Fields Ltd. After getting the block, the company sold 74% of its stake for an estimated Rs 300 crore to Solar Explosives, which is at the centre of Bhatgaon coal block scam.

