Batala cracker factory blast: Three govt officials dismissed for lapses

Three government officials have been dismissed in connection with the Batala cracker factory blast on the report of the magisterial probe which charged them with lapses for allowing the illegal factory run. As many as 24 people were killed and 25 injured in the blast on September 4.

Three government officials have been dismissed in connection with the Batala cracker factory blast on the report of the magisterial probe which charged them with lapses for allowing the illegal factory run. As many as 24 people were killed and 25 injured in the blast on September 4. The inquiry report was submitted to the office of deputy commissioner Vipul Ujjwal on October 11 and it was further forwarded to the Punjab government. The government had ordered dismissal of three officials on October 21, however, the orders remained pending in the office of Gurdaspur DC due to his engagement in Kartarpur Corridor.

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Those dismissed are Gurdaspur revenue department superintendent (grade 2) Anil Kumar, Gurdaspur bill clerk at tehsil office Mulakh Raj and Gurinder Singh, assistant junior clerk at the staff branch in Gurdaspur.

The magisterial inquiry was conducted by additional deputy commissioner (general) Tejinderpal Singh Sandhu on the orders of chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh during his visit to the blast site on September 5.

On Monday, Tejinderpal Singh Sandhu also took charge of officiating DC after Ujjwal left for leave from November 18 to 26 and handed over dismissal order to the erring officers.