Guwahati, July 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Five people, including the owner of a rod manufacturing unit, have been arrested in connection with a factory blast in Assam’s Cachar district that claimed the lives of four workers, police officials said on Monday.
The arrests were made after directions from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, as authorities intensified the investigation into the industrial accident at the factory’s Pangram unit under the Udharband Assembly constituency.
The arrested persons include factory owner Rakesh Kumar Surana, while the other accused are reportedly linked to the management and operation of the unit. Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.
A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) also visited the factory premises to collect scientific evidence and determine the sequence of events that led to the explosion.
The incident took place on Sunday around 11 am when molten metal reportedly exploded inside the factory’s processing unit. The blast killed four workers on the spot and was heard across the surrounding area.
The deceased workers were identified as Appu Boraik, Kiron Munda, Shyamal Gaur and Sagar Nath, a resident of Agartala in Tripura. Their bodies were sent for post-mortem examination after doctors at Silchar Medical College and Hospital confirmed their deaths.
Police and Fire and Emergency Services teams reached the spot soon after the explosion and rescued injured workers. Several injured employees were shifted to hospitals, while some with minor injuries were discharged after treatment.
The Assam government has announced an ex gratia assistance of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the four deceased workers. Udharband MLA Rajdeep Goala, along with Cachar Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Gupta, handed over the financial assistance to the affected families and assured them of government support.
Earlier, Assam Minister Kaushik Rai said a magisterial inquiry, police investigation and a separate Labour Department probe had been ordered to determine the cause of the blast and examine compliance with industrial safety regulations.
Residents have alleged that smaller explosions had occurred at the factory earlier but were not officially reported. Families of some victims also alleged that the seriousness of the latest incident was initially concealed by the management.
Police said these allegations would be examined during the investigation and strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for negligence or violation of safety norms.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over workplace safety standards and enforcement of industrial regulations in Assam.
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