A devastating industrial accident in Nagpur, Maharashtra, has claimed the lives of six migrant workers from Bihar, plunging their families in Muzaffarpur and West Champaran districts into profound grief. The tragedy occurred on Friday when a water tank exploded at a factory.
Families Shattered by Sudden Loss
The incident has robbed several families of their primary breadwinners. In Mishrauli Patkhauli village of Bettiah's Chanpatia block, two families are mourning their sons. Arvind Kumar Thakur (28), son of Mohan Thakur, was the eldest of four siblings and the sole earner for his family. Married in 2020, he had no children. His father lives with mental instability from a past accident, and a younger brother is in Class X. His mother and wife were inconsolable upon receiving the news.
From the same village, Bullet Shah (19), son of Indrajeet Sah, was a key supporter for his family. The youngest among two brothers and two sisters, Bullet's father also works as a labourer. His elder brother, Sujit, is pursuing a BA while doing daily wage work. Bullet's mother had spoken to him just the night before the fatal explosion.
Arvind and Bullet had left their village for Nagpur on December 14 along with another worker, Sanjeev, in search of livelihood. It was Sanjeev who called the families on Friday to inform them of the horrific incident.
Victims from Muzaffarpur and Official Response
The grief extended to Gabsara village in Muzaffarpur's Karja area, which lost Sudhanshu Kumar (23), son of Nageshwar Sahni, and Ajay Kumar (25), son of Rajeshwar Paswan. Shamim Ansari (42) from Muzaffarpur also perished. Another victim, Ashok Patel (42), was from Paharpur village under Sakra police station.
One worker, Prakash Kumar (28), son of Bulla Sahni from Gabsara, survived but suffered serious injuries, including a fractured leg.
Pranav Giri, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Chanpatia, confirmed that relatives have travelled to Nagpur to bring back the bodies. The last rites are expected to be performed on Sunday, with the bodies transported by road ambulance. Villagers have been gathering at the bereaved homes, demanding government compensation and assistance. Local MLA Abhishek Ranjan visited the families, promising all possible help.
State Government Announces Compensation and Aid
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep sorrow over the incident and 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 workers. He directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured and wished them a speedy recovery.
Furthermore, the state government has instructed the Resident Commissioner of Bihar in Delhi to monitor the situation closely. The officer's mandate includes providing all necessary assistance, facilitating treatment for the injured, and helping arrange for the transportation of the deceased workers' bodies back to their native villages in Bihar.
The tragedy underscores the perils faced by migrant workers who travel far from home in search of work, often taking up hazardous jobs to support their families.
