Rupali Ganguly's show Anupamaa witnessed a tragedy as one of the crew members, Vineet Kumar Mandal, who worked as a camera attendant, passed away on November 14, 2024, due to electrocution. Despite immediate medical attention and being rushed to the hospital, he could not be saved. Now, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has claimed that his death was not an accident but an 'institutionalised murder' due to the negligence of the producers.
The founder and the President, Suresh Shamlal Gupta, wrote to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, and demanded immediate action. Suresh mentioned that the shooting continued until midnight despite the crew member's shocking demise.
"Even worse, the production resumed shooting the very next day, blatantly ignoring the gravity of the situation. The hazardous conditions on sets, perpetuated by the use of old, damaged, and poorly insulated electric wires patched with plastic tape, created a death trap for workers. This systemic disregard for basic safety protocols has led to yet another preventable loss of life" read the letter.
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AICWA has appealed to the CM to file an FIR under IPC Section 302 against the producers, the production house, the channel, the Film City managing director, and the Labour Commissioner.
The letter also mentioned that Rs 1 crore compensation should be provided to the family of the deceased worker.
"Suspend all shooting activities on the set of Anupamaa and other associated productions until a thorough investigation is completed and accountability is established. Immediate inspection and enforcement of safety protocols on all sets, with strict penalties for non-compliance," read the letter.
The production house of Anupamaa has not yet issued a formal statement.
