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Two held over Hapur factory blast, toll reaches 13: Police
According to an initial police report, the Hapur factory where the explosion occurred was owned by Dilshad Khan of Meerut, who had rented it out to one Wasim a few months ago. Dilshad had a licence to manufacture electric equipment at the factory, but Wasim illegally started making crackers there when he took over.
The operator and owner of a Hapur chemical factory were arrested on Sunday, a day after a boiler blast in the unit killed 12 people, police said. The toll climbed to 13 on Sunday after another labourer succumbed to injuries, they added.
A total of twenty injured labourers are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in Meerut and Delhi for burn injuries, the officials added. The explosion took place on Saturday at Ruhi Industries in the Dhaulana area.
According to an initial police report, the factory where the explosion occurred was owned by Dilshad Khan of Meerut, who had rented it out to one Wasim a few months ago. Dilshad had a licence to manufacture electric equipment at the factory, but Wasim illegally started making crackers there when he took over.
“Wasim had fled the factory premises after the explosion. He sustained burn injuries on his hands, and there were stitches on his head as well,” a senior police official said, adding that he received first-aid after the incident and took off.
“The operator (Wasim) was arrested on Sunday afternoon from the Hapur-Meerut bypass,” superintendent of police Deepak Bhuker told PTI. “We are providing medical treatment to him,” he said.
Hapur additional superintendent of police (ASP) Sarvesh Mishra said Dilshad Khan was arrested from Hapur and a case of culpable homicide was registered against the duo.
Meanwhile, Hapur district magistrate Medha Roopam formed a committee of officials to check industries in the Dhaulana industrial area and other locations. The committee formed by the district magistrate checked 11 factories in the Dhaulana area on Sunday and sealed three units for various violations and other shortcomings.
“The committee checked 11 factories and sealed three of them for violating rules and regulations,” ASP Mishra said, adding that the industrial area has over 1000 factories and the committee would be checking them all to ensure that all the units are adhering to all the rules and regulations.
Taking note of the incident, the divisional commissioner of Meerut Surendra Singh has directed the district magistrates of Meerut, Bulandshahr, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Noida to form similar committees in their respective districts and conduct a survey of factories in their regions.
(With agency inputs)
