Three years after a deadly explosion on the Rajput-class destroyer INS Ranvir at the Naval Dockyard, the Colaba Police have registered a case of negligence against employees of a private gas supplier company. The explosion, which occurred on January 18, 2022, resulted in the deaths of three naval personnel and injuries to eleven others.
According to police officials, the Indian Navy had conducted a detailed investigation into the incident. Based on their report, an FIR was lodged by Lieutenant Commander Sachin Kumar at Colaba Police Station. A senior police officer confirmed that the case has been registered against responsible individuals from the private gas supplier company, adding that the company’s personnel would be summoned for questioning as part of the investigation.
The explosion reportedly took place due to a malfunction in the air-conditioning compartment of the 4,000-ton warship, which was likely caused by a leakage of Freon gas. The blast led to severe injuries among crew members, who were immediately shifted to INHS Asvini Hospital in Colaba for treatment. At the time of the explosion, nearly 300 naval personnel were onboard the vessel.
Following the incident, a Board of Inquiry (BoI) was formed to examine the cause of the explosion. Samples of gas from the AC unit were sent for testing to the Centre for Fire, Explosive, and Environment Safety (CFEES), DRDO, New Delhi, and IIT Bombay. The FIR states that the explosion occurred because the gas supplier had provided the wrong type of gas, leading to a critical malfunction.
The three naval personnel who lost their lives in the explosion were identified as Krishna Kumar (46), Surinder Kumar (47), and A.K. Singh (38). Krishna Kumar was assigned to signals and communication, Surinder Kumar was a sports PT master, and A.K. Singh was an anti-submarine warfare instructor.
The investigation into the matter is still ongoing, and authorities are expected to question the private company’s officials in the coming days.
INS Ranvir is a warship of the Indian Navy and has been in service for nearly 39 years. It was first inducted into the Navy on October 28, 1986. The warship is 482 feet long and has a speed of 65 km per hour.
Equipped with advanced sensors and weaponry, INS Ranvir is a highly sophisticated warship. It features anti-aircraft and anti-missile guns, along with torpedoes and anti-submarine rocket launchers.