By IANS
Raipur : The police Tuesday arrested the general manager of sponge iron maker Godawari Ispat Ltd and two other officials for the death of eight workers at its plant last Saturday.
The company, based some 22 km from here at the Urla-Siltara industrial area, has been at the centre of a storm since eight workers were charred to death and three others injured seriously when hot steel fell on them.
“The factory’s general manager V.P. Singh, engineer S.K. Mishra and Bhilai-based construction company director Mohit Verma have been arrested after prima facie evidence emerged against them,” Amit Kumar, Raipur district superintendent of police, told newsmen Tuesday.
Some more arrests were in the offing, he added.
The police action came after a large number of local villagers and Youth Congress workers staged demonstrations against the management outside the plant Sunday, seeking stern action. There had been many deaths in the factory over the last three years, they alleged.
The workers have accused the company management of being reluctant to provide safety equipment.
They also expressed anger over the Rs.50,000 compensation announced by the management for families of the workers killed, calling the amount meagre.
Congress party leader and former chief minister Ajit Jogi has sought an immediate high-level probe into the mishap by the state government.