Dombivli: The Ulhasnagar Crime Branch of Thane police took a man named Malay Mehta, an owner of Amudan Chemical company, regarding a deadly reactor blast where ten people died and 68 were injured. They visited the blast site to recreate the scene.
The police inquired with Mehta about where the boiler, reactor, pantry, office, and accounting department were located. A total of ten employees were working in Amudan Chemical company. Out of the ten, two were identified as Riddhi Khanvilkar and Rohini Kadam, both working in the accounting department.
The chemical experts took a sample of soil, stone, and plastic drums to ascertain which type of chemical was being stored or manufactured by Amudan Chemical company. The report will be submitted to the crime branch by the agency within four days.
An investigator stated that since the reactor blast is a technical case, the crime branch is seeking help from the Directorate Of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) to determine if there was negligence on the part of company officials and identify who else, besides the owner, should be held responsible.
During the interrogation, Malay Mehta revealed that he had manufactured a chemical which is used in pesticides and glue products. It sells across India, said the investigation officer. Police said that they visited the spot and found a 15 to 20 feet dig following a deadly reactor blast.
Ashok Koli, Senior Police Inspector, Crime Branch of Thane police said, "Malay Mehta is a prime accused in the deadly reactor blast in Dombivli MIDC phase 2. During interrogation, we went through documents. It was revealed that Malay Mehta and his wife are directors of the Amudan Chemical company, while his mother, Malti Mehta, is a shareholder of the company. We are investigating the case, and if his wife's involvement is found, legal proceedings will be filed against her."
Malay Mehta lived with his wife, Sneha Mehta, two sons, and mother Malti Mehta in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Malay Mehta's father, Pradeep Mehta, passed away in 2019. Afterward, Malay took charge of the company, as stated by a police officer from the crime branch.
The police said a single body part, which is a leg, was found on Monday. The official death toll is 10, while 68 individuals were injured in the Dombivli blast. At least nine people from Amudan Chemical, Saptavrana, and Cosmos company are still missing. Out of the ten bodies, three have been identified as Riddhi Khanvilkar, Rohini Kadam, and Rakesh Rajput, who were recovered from the blast site during a rescue operation.
Namdev Chaudhary, Chief of the Kalyan Fire Station, said, "Our team was working at the blast spot for four days and conducted a search operation. One of our fire teams started the search operation on Monday at 7:15 AM. The search operation was called off at 7 PM. One body part was found at the spot during the search operation."
Madhavi Pophale, PRO of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation said, "A total of ten people died and 68 were injured following a deadly reactor blast in Amudan Chemical Company in Dombivli MIDC Phase 2. Out of 68, 57 were discharged from the hospital and eleven injured. Out of 11, five, were being treated in the ICU room. The JCB machine and Poclain machines began to remove debris on the blast site."
Suresh Khade, Minister of Labour of Maharashtra, visited the blast site at Amudan Chemical company on Monday. He assured that strict action will be taken against those found guilty in the deadly reactor blast. It is necessary to investigate how the reactor exploded. He raised a question about whether the company was conducting safety audits or not. Our goverment is stand behind the labourers.
In May 2016, one of the chemical factories owned by Probace Enterprises exploded at Dombivali East in the Mumbai area. The incident caused the death of 12 people and injured around 200 others. The impact of the explosion also affected the people at the nearby residents and shops.
The mysterious blast resulted in shattering glasses and rooftops in a two-kilometre radius from the factory. The survivors called for shifting all hazardous chemical company from MIDC area to any other areas because the residential have been occupied here.
