Punjab: 4 days after fire, Mohali factory owner booked for woman worker’s death
Victim’s husband says there had been a fire incident at the unit a few days ago too, but it was controlled in time. However, the factory owner did not address concerns of the workers and did not take any preventive step.
Four days after a massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Kurali industrial area of Mohali district, police booked the factory owner for the death of a woman worker.
Police said the case was registered against Gurinder Chawla, the owner of Shamrock Organics Private Limited and M-3 Traders, at Focal Point, Chanalon in Kurali, on the statement of Ranvir Paswan, the husband of victim Chandni Devi, 30, who was charred to death in the fire.
Chawla was booked under Sections 337, 338 and 304 of the Indian Penal Code for causing harm by an act endangering personal safety or the lives of others, as well as inflicting serious injuries by an act endangering personal safety or the lives of others and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
In his statement, Paswan, a native of Bihar who lives on rent at Goslan village, said his wife had been working at the chemical unit for three years. The couple has two children aged three and five years.
He said Chandni went to the factory as usual on the morning of September 27. His wife’s aunt, Anju, and sister-in-law, Sonia, also accompanied her. Their job was to fill turpentine oil used for varnishing wood in small bottles, he said.
At 11.30am that day, he said, he learnt about the fire and rushed to the factory. Anju and Sonia were taken to the hospital with burn injuries. Anju told him that Chandni could not escape and was charred to death in the blaze.
In the statement to the police, Ranvir Singh said that his wife had expressed fear of fire at the factory. He said she had told him that there had been a fire incident at the unit a few days ago but it was controlled in time. The factory owner did not address concerns of the workers and took no preventive step.
Five women workers were injured, including two seriously, in the fire last Wednesday. They were identified as Sandhya, 20, Anju, 35, Daljit, 42, Jaman Devi, 25 and Nibha, 19. Sandhya and Anju were rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, while the other three were discharged after first aid.
