Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Angry workers grieved that had the tank welded timely the deaths of workers would not have taken place. They also expressed their disappointment over the operations of the company by the management.
The workers said that the silo (tank) used for storing corn was in operation for the last 15 years. The tank's steel thickness was getting thin each day due to rust, as a result, several areas of the tank had sustained cracks. However, the company ignored these issues. If the corn stored in the tank had been removed and the tank welded, the workers' lives could have been saved. The company, however, focused only on increasing production while neglecting maintenance, leading to this tragic accident.
Company continues operations
Despite the major accident, the company remained operational. As news of the explosion spread rapidly across the district, hundreds of workers' relatives gathered at the company gate. However, the company management and security guards did not provide any information to them and behaved in an arbitrary manner. This led to the relatives expressing their anger and protesting against the company.
Trucks loaded with corn at the company
Radico N.V. Distilleries (Baliraja) company is known for producing whiskey from grains. Hundreds of trucks filled with corn were lined up in front of the company as part of the grain supply process.
Police and Fire Brigade officers deployed at the scene
Acting upon the information of the incident, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Vishnu Bhoye, Assistant Police Inspector Pratap Navghare, PSI Bharat Nikalje and constables Shivaji Madewad and Subhash Bhakre, along with a reserved police force (RPF) from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, were deployed at the scene.