Factory fire: 1 dead & 2 missing, cops struggle with worker count

Rewari: A worker injured in the massive fire at a chemical factory in Rewari's Bawal Industrial Area died at a private hospital in Gurugram on Thursday, even as two workers remained missing since the May 19 incident.The deceased, Hari Babu, 35, worked in the factory's maintenance unit and was among six workers injured in the blaze. A native of Rukhala village in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh district, he became the first casualty of the fire. DSP Surendra Syoran confirmed the death.While officials initially stated that six workers were injured, the number of missing persons rose from one on Wednesday to two on Thursday after families of workers reached the factory. Nearly 300 workers were reportedly inside the unit when the fire broke out.Rewari SP Hemendra Meena said police had registered a criminal case against the factory management based on an injured worker's statement. He added that investigators were struggling to verify how many workers were inside the unit as labour and attendance records were allegedly destroyed in the blaze.Separate FIRs have also been registered against the factory management over the disappearance of Bihar residents Dharmendra Kumar and Satyendra Paswan.During the day, Dharmendra's family staged a protest outside the factory, alleging negligence and lack of transparency by the management. Eyewitnesses said the protest led to heated arguments and a brief scuffle with police personnel as family members demanded information about the missing workers.Police later took the relatives inside parts of the damaged factory to show them the fire-ravaged sections.Dharmendra's father alleged that portions of the unit were still smouldering and claimed incomplete firefighting efforts were hampering the search operation. Family members also accused the management of denying access to CCTV footage that could help trace the missing workers before the explosion.Dharmendra, a resident of Bihar's Sheikhpura district, had worked at the factory for nearly four years. He is survived by his wife and two children, including a six-month-old infant.Security around the factory was tightened later in the day. Police also prevented Satyendra Paswan's family from entering the premises in the morning.Rewari deputy commissioner Abhishek Meena said NDRF and HDRF teams had been conducting search operations for the past three days, but collapsed structures and heavy debris had slowed efforts."The factory management has been directed to clear debris so that detailed searches can continue. Only after complete clearance can it be ascertained whether anyone remains trapped," he said.