A tragic industrial accident at a solar module manufacturing unit in Nagpur has claimed the lives of six migrant workers from Bihar, casting a shadow of grief over their families hundreds of kilometers away. The incident occurred on Friday when a massive 36-foot-high water storage tank, with a capacity of 10 lakh litres, burst and crashed at the Avaada unit located in the Butibori MIDC area.
Families in Bihar Grieve, Await Bodies and Compensation
In the remote village of Mishrauli Patkhauli in West Champaran, Bihar, the parents of two victims—18-year-old Bullat Kumar and 28-year-old Arvind Kumar—anxiously wait for the mortal remains of their sons. Separated by over 1,000 kilometers, they have expressed a heartbreaking condition to authorities: they want assurance that the promised compensation will be handed over along with the bodies.
"We can wait until the compensation amount is entirely paid. Otherwise, they may just hand over the bodies and pay nothing. Who knows if it's just an empty promise," said Bullat's uncle, Veer Bahadur, highlighting the family's precarious financial situation and deep distrust. The families lack the immediate means to travel to Nagpur themselves.
Profiles of Loss and Lingering Debt
The personal stories behind the statistics reveal a devastating picture of loss. Arvind Kumar was the sole breadwinner for his family of four siblings. His father suffers from mental health issues following a road accident, and his younger brother is still in school. The family is burdened with a staggering debt of Rs 25 lakh borrowed from a private moneylender for medical treatment and building a house.
Bullat Kumar, whose real name was Adarsh, was the youngest among the deceased. Nicknamed 'Bullet' for his quick actions, he had left home barely a month ago to work as a migrant labourer under a contractor. He died before he could send his first earnings home. His father, Indrajeet Sahu, works as a farm labourer besides tilling their own less-than-an-acre plot of land.
At Arvind's home, his parents, Mohan Kumar and Parmila Devi, were reportedly given heavy sedatives to cope with the shock. Their cousin Chandan revealed that even Arvind's parents did not have the funds to travel to Nagpur to claim his body.
Compensation Details and Official Response
According to officials, the total compensation for each deceased worker is Rs 35 lakh. This includes Rs 5 lakh from the Maharashtra government. On the ground in Nagpur, Bullat's cousin Sanjeevan, who was preparing to transport the bodies, stated he was handed a cheque of Rs 10 lakh and was told the remaining amount would be given to the parents in four to five days.
Chanpatia Block Development Officer Pranav Giri confirmed that the bodies would be transported by road ambulance to their village, with the last rites expected to be performed on Sunday.
The other victims have been identified as Sudhanshu Kumar (23) and Ajay Kumar (25) from Gabsara village in Muzaffarpur, and Shamim Ansari (42) and Ashok Patel (42), also from Muzaffarpur. One worker, Prakash Kumar (28), survived the accident but sustained serious injuries, including a fractured leg.
In response to the tragedy, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the next of kin of the deceased and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured.
Despite the compensation announcements, each grieving family contends that the money will be barely enough to make up for their irreplaceable loss, especially with the heavy debts they already carry.
