4 bodies found at fire-hit Baddi perfume factory; 4 still missing

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, February 3

Four bodies were today recovered from the gutted remains of a perfume-manufacturing unit, NR Aroma, at Jharmajri in Barotiwala industrial zone of Himachal’s Baddi where a massive fire broke out on Friday. The death toll has climbed to five as a woman had succumbed to her injuries yesterday while being rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh.

The Baddi police today arrested the company’s plant head, Chander Shekhar, after registering a case under IPC sections relating to negligent conduct towards fire or combustible matter, act endangering life or personal safety of others and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Efforts are said to be afoot to trace the unit’s owner.

A search operation was initiated in the morning by the police and the National Disaster Response Force to trace the 13 “missing” workers. But five of them later appeared before the authorities and said they left the factory and moved home after it caught fire. After the recovery of the four bodies, four persons are now said to be missing. The police said there were 85 persons inside the factory when it caught fire, 30 of whom were admitted to various hospitals.

Santosh Sharma, Commandant, Home Guards, Solan, confirmed that the bodies of four women workers were found. Three of them were identified from their clothes while the fourth body had been charred beyond recognition, he said.

Doon MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kumar Choudhary claimed the four women died of asphyxiation as they took refuge in a washroom. He said an agency would be hired to assess the fire preparedness of all units.

A magisterial inquiry would be conducted by Additional Deputy Commissioner Ajay Yadav, said Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma. Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, who visited the spot, constituted a special investigation team to probe the incident. The SIT would comprise ASP Ashok Verma, DSP Khazana Ram and Barotiwala SHO Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sharma, said Kundu.

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