Chlorine leak probe starts six days later

Six days after the chlorine leak, the Sewri police on Tuesday finally started its investigation into the incident.

Six days after the chlorine leak, the Sewri police on Tuesday finally started its investigation into the incident.

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Police officials said the delay was because the entire machinery, including the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), was busy with neutralising the five chlorine cylinders in the warehouse. One of the 105 cylinders lying neglected had leaked on July 14. Most of the documents were inside the MbPT warehouse, which was cordoned off after the leakage, so officials could not submit them to the police.

The police said the records submitted on Tuesday include those of Agro Gases Private Limited, the company that imported at least 59 of the cylinders from Dubai in 2001, but failed to collect the consignment.

“We will soon record statements of those concerned to zero in on who was responsible for the mishap,” said Quaiser Khalid, deputy commissioner of police (port zone), who held an hour-long meeting with his officers to discuss the probe.

* The police have recorded statements of the hostelites next door to the warehouse affected by the leakage.