Kakinada: Two workers were killed and nine others injured in an explosion at a sugar factory in Vakalapudi industrial area on the city outskirts on Friday. The condition of one of the injured is stated to be critical. Preliminary reports indicate that the electrical short circuit has caused the explosion, police said.
It is stated that the explosion took place when the electrical connection was being given to the conveyor belt while the loading of the sugar bags from the godowns is in progress. The police who registered a case identified the deceased as Rayudu Veera Venkata Satyanarayana (36) of Kondivaram village, Uppada Kotha Palli Mandal, and Veeramalla Rajeswerarao (45) of Vetlapalem village Samalkot Mandal. The condition of Bandi Veera Venkata Ramana (29) of Chandrada village Pithapuram Mandal who was admitted to Apollo hospital is stated to be very critical. The other injured are undergoing treatment in various private hospitals. Former Minister and rural MLA Kurasala Kannababu and Kakinada district superintendent of police M.Ravindranath Babu have rushed to the spot and supervised the relief operations. MLA Kannababu has described the incident as very unfortunate and assured to extend all-out assistance to the families of the victims taking up the matter with Chief Minister Jaganmohanreddy. SP Ravindranath Babu has said impartial inquiry would be conducted into the explosion incident and stringent action would be initiated against the erring under the provision of the Law. The workers union leaders have demanded Rs. 1 Cr compensation to the victims and also stringent action against the factory management for the failure in ensuring the safety of the workers.
