Nagpur blast: 9 SBL Energy directors arrested, case against 21 officials

Nagpur police, on Monday (March 2), arrested nine directors of an explosives manufacturing company in connection with the blast that claimed 18 lives.

A case has been registered against 21 directors and shareholders of SBL Energy Limited under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Kamaleshwar police said.

Initial probe

Superintendent of Police (Nagpur Rural) Dr Harssh Poddar on Monday said that an initial report by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and Defence Information System for Security (DISS) pointed to safety lacunae at the company. Acting on the report, the police registered the case against the company officials, he said.

Nine directors of the company have so far been arrested, the police officials said.

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The arrested persons were being questioned, and efforts were underway to apprehend the remaining accused in the case, the official said.

Powerful explosion

At least 20 people were killed and nearly 24 critically injured in a powerful explosion at SBL Energy Limited’s ammunition manufacturing unit at Raulgaon village in Kalmeshwar taluka, about 35 km from Nagpur, on Sunday (March 1) morning.

The explosion struck at about 6.45 am, soon after the 6 am shift began, with around 35 workers and two supervisors inside. The unit was engulfed in flames within minutes.

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According to police, the bodies were charred beyond recognition, and samples of the family members were being taken for DNA testing to ascertain the identities of the deceased.

Nearly a dozen explosive manufacturing units operate in the area. Solar Industries, one of India’s leading producers of high-energy materials, supplies defence-grade ammunition and commercial explosives to the armed forces and other sectors. In 2023, nine workers were killed in a blast at one of its facilities.

Ex gratia announced

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion. The state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said a high-level review meeting will be held on Monday at the Divisional Commissioner’s office to discuss measures to prevent such tragedies.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased. He added that the injured will be given Rs 50,000.

(With agency inputs)