Mumbai: Hours after a fire broke out in a gas cylinder godown due to a series of cylinder blasts that rendered four daily wage workers injured, Versova Police arrested the owner of the godown late on Wednesday. Police said that the owner identified as Hoti Wadilal, 45, had been operating the gas cylinder godown illegally in a residential area. He was subsequently booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Essential Commodities Act for negligent conduct.
According to police sources, Wadilal had been operating the gas godown without proper permission from the authorities in a residential area. Moreover, neither the residents nor the authorities had taken any cognisance against Wadilal's illegal activity of operating a business in a residential area which could turn hazardous.
A senior police officer said that Wadilal was arrested late on Wednesday night for not following the safety measures. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter (section 285), attempt to commit culpable homicide (section 308), grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others (section 337 and 338) along with relevant sections of the Essential Commodity Act. Wadilal will be produced before the Andheri Court on Thursday.
Four people so far have been reported as injured in a cylinder blast incident at Yari Road in Versova. The injured have been identified as Rakesh Kadu (30), Laxman Kumvat (24), Manjit Khan (20), and Mukesh Kumvat (30). According to sources in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Kadu and Laxman have sustained 40 per cent burns, and Khan and Mukesh 60 per cent burns. The injured have been admitted to Cooper Hospital, Juhu, and are undergoing treatment.
