Chhattisgarh Vedanta Plant Accident: Death Toll Rises to 24

One more injured worker died on Sunday morning in the Chhattisgarh Vedanta plant accident, taking the total fatalities from the boiler blast at Singhitrai power plant in Sakti district to 24. The explosion on April 14 afternoon had left 36 workers with burn injuries. Twelve of them continue to receive treatment at hospitals in Raigarh and Raipur.

Death Toll Climbs Sharply

The latest victim breathed his last at Raigarh Medical College. Earlier, three workers had succumbed to their injuries in the past 24 hours, including two at a private hospital in Raipur. Four workers had died on the spot when the boiler in Unit-1 exploded around 2:33 pm on April 14.

FIR Filed Against Top Officials

Police at Dhabra police station registered an FIR against Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal and nine others after the Industrial Safety Department flagged serious maintenance lapses. The preliminary probe report submitted to the Superintendent of Police pointed to negligence in operations and upkeep of the boiler system.

Jindal Flags Concerns Over FIR

Industrialist Naveen Jindal questioned the decision to name Anil Agarwal in the FIR even before a full investigation. In a social media post, he described it as a matter of serious concern and stressed that evidence should first establish liability. Jindal added that the same standard applied to government entities should hold for the private sector as well. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also raised questions about the FIR process, claiming journalists were told that higher authorities had barred sharing of the copy.

NGSL's Operations Under Lens

Operation and maintenance of the plant rested with NGSL, the 50:50 joint venture between NTPC and GE Power India Limited. Project head Rajesh Saxena and the site in-charge, both senior-level officers, handled daily operations of Unit-1 and boiler maintenance. Officials confirmed that NGSL was responsible for regular monitoring, timely detection of technical faults, and adherence to safety norms.

Probe Points to Maintenance Lapses

Investigators found that excessive unburnt fuel had accumulated inside the boiler furnace, triggering a sharp pressure surge within one to two seconds. The boiler load had been ramped up rapidly from 350 MW to nearly 590 MW in a short span. The pressure wave displaced the lower piping system and caused the blast. The Industrial Safety Department also noted repeated issues with the PA fan and failure of backup systems. A team led by ASP Pankaj Patel is now conducting further inquiries.

Compensation for Victims' Families

Vedanta has announced ₹35 lakh and a job for the family of each deceased worker and ₹15 lakh for the injured. The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund will release ₹2 lakh per deceased family and ₹50,000 for each injured worker. The Chhattisgarh government has pledged an additional ₹5 lakh to kin of the dead and ₹50,000 to the injured. Post-mortems were conducted at Raigarh Medical College.

Magisterial Inquiry Initiated

Collector Amrit Vikas Topno has ordered a magisterial inquiry that must submit its report within 30 days. The probe will establish the exact sequence of events, identify those responsible, examine technical and human factors, review past inspections, and recommend steps to prevent similar accidents. Police and safety officials continue to examine the roles of all officers linked to operations and maintenance.

As authorities intensify the probe into the Chhattisgarh Vedanta plant accident, families await clarity on accountability while the power sector watches closely for outcomes that could shape future safety protocols across similar facilities.