Rohan Umak
Prayagraj Ammonia Gas Leak: A major development emerged on Tuesday in the deadly cold storage collapse in Prayagraj, which unfolded on Monday, claiming the lives of four labourers and leaving 14 others grievously injured. The police have detained Ansar Ahmad, former minister of Uttar Pradesh and senior leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), who is the owner of the ill-fated facility. Authorities said that alongside Ahmad, his son Manzoor Ilahi and nephew Alauddin have also been taken into custody for interrogation. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against seven accused and five unidentified persons at the Phaphamau police station in the city.
What was the case?
The incident occurred Monday afternoon when a portion of the cold storage building caved in suddenly, trapping several labourers beneath the debris. The collapse also resulted in an Ammonia gas leak, intensifying the emergency situation. According to police, all injured workers were rescued and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, while four labourers died in the incident. Rescue teams persevered in operations for more than 20 hours, fearing that additional labourers could be trapped beneath the rubble.
District Magistrate (DM) of Prayagraj, Manish Kumar Verma confirmed the death tally in the aftermath of the incident.
Prayagraj Ammonia Gas Leak: Senior cop says facility was old
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Arun Parashar told the media that the structure was old, and the facility was ageing, which may have triggered the collapse. He added that the investigating police officials are also probing the possibility of an ammonia leak-induced explosion. Ahmad and his aides have been booked under the Section 103 (Murder) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as per the ACP.
Rescue ops continue overnight
Emergency teams, including those from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with police, fire services and the district administration authorities, worked through the night to clear debris and locate any remaining victims. Additional manpower, as per officials, had also been pressed into service to expedite operations.
PM Modi, UP CM express grief, announce compensation
Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences over the loss of labourers’ lives in the tragedy. Both leaders announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 to the family of the injured workers. CM Yogi also directed the authorities to ensure proper medical aid is extended to all the affected individuals. As the investigation advances, authorities said they are ramping up efforts to identify lapses in safety standards and structural integrity.
