Vedanta plant blast: FIR filed against management

Raipur: Chhattisgarh police have registered an FIR against management officials and others in connection with the April 14 blast at Vedanta's power plant in Sakti district, as the death toll rose to 20 and preliminary findings pointed to serious operational lapses.The case was filed at Dabhra police station under provisions of the BNS, including causing death by negligence and negligent handling of machinery. Sakti SP Prafull Thakur said 8–10 individuals, including company and management officials, have been named so far, with more arrests and sections possible as the probe progresses.The explosion occurred at Singhitarai village after a high-pressure steam tube in the boiler-turbine system burst, leaving 36 workers injured. Of them, 20 have died and 16 are undergoing treatment.An initial inspection by the industrial safety department flagged alleged negligence, noting that boiler load was sharply increased from 350 MW to around 590 MW in a short time to nearly double production. Investigators suspect the sudden rise may have destabilised the system, contributing to pressure build-up and mechanical failure.Officials said furnace pressure surged within seconds around 2.33 pm, leaving little scope for shutdown or corrective action. The safety department's boiler inspector submitted a report after a six-hour site visit, forming the basis of the FIR.A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered, with a report sought within 30 days. Further forensic and technical reports are awaited.