The management of a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam where a gas leak left 11 people dead and hundreds hospitalised on Thursday was booked on charges including causing death by negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The Gopalapatnam police in Visakhapatnam registered a case against LG Polymers India Pvt Limited based on a complaint given by the local Village Revenue Officer (VRO) on Thursday.
According to the complainant MV Subba Rao, gas began leaking from the LG Polymers factory at about 3.30 am. Hundreds of locals had to be hospitalised and at least five people had died besides authorities being forced to evacuate thousands of residents from neighbouring villages, the complaint said. Since the complaint was filed, the death toll has risen to 11.
Hours after the fatal leak, the Gopalapatnam police registered a case against the management of the LG Polymers Ltd under sections 278 (Making atmosphere noxious to health), 284 (Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Gopalapatnam police said that further investigation regarding the gas leak is underway to ascertain what led to the incident.
Several residents and animals fell unconscious on the spot after the leak in the early hours of Thursday. Many others, owing to fear, ran several kilometres away from their houses.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Navy were roped in for rescue operations.
Earlier, during his visit to Visakhapatnam to review the aftermath of the tragedy, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy spoke to the senior officials of LG Polymers Ltd and obtained their version of the accident. The company executives gave their explanation to the chief minister at the airport lounge before he departed for Vijayawada, sources told PTI.
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