NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JULY 19
Police on Sunday registered a case against a contractor, a day after four labourers died due to asphyxiation while cleaning a chemical waste tanker at a textile factory in Ahmedabad district of Gujarat, an official said.
The incident had taken place on the premises of Vishal Fabrics Ltd in Koth area of Dholka town on Saturday.
An official of the state labour department said that a prohibitory order has been issued to the factory under section 40(2) of the Factories Act after a primary inquiry into the incident.
A police official said that the FIR was filed against contractor Ramesh Vaghela under IPC section 304, which pertains to causing death by doing a rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.
“Based on the complaint by one of the relatives of the deceased labourers, we booked the contractor and further investigation is underway,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey.
The contractor has not been arrested yet, he said, adding that a forensic team also visited the factory Sunday.
As per the FIR, despite knowing that poisonous gas from the chemical is fatal and could cause death, the contractor did not provide them with any safety equipment, and hence he was booked under section 304 of the IPC.
The four deceased labourers, identified as Pravin Rathod, Vijay Barad, Mayur Barad and Prabhu Jamod, worked as contract employees for the accused, it said.
