Telangana Blast: 9 Workers Missing

Bhubaneswar

Four workers from Odisha have been confirmed dead in the recent Telangana factory blast, while five others from the state are still missing. Officials said on Thursday that relatives of the missing have reached Sangareddy district for DNA matching with unidentified bodies. DNA samples of four missing persons have already been given, and the fifth family is expected to arrive soon.

The powerful explosion occurred on June 30 at a pharmaceutical factory in Pashamylaram, Sangareddy district, killing 38 and injuring many. Among the 143 workers present, several were from Odisha. According to Pritish Panda, Officer on Special Duty at Odisha Parivaar, four Odia workers died, four were injured (one seriously), and five remain untraceable.

The deceased include R. Jaganmohan (Ganjam), Lagnajit Duari (Cuttack), Manoj Rout (Balasore), and Dolagovind Sahu (Jajpur). Injured victims include Samir Padhi (Ganjam), who is in ICU with 35% burns, and three others from Bhadrak, Nabarangpur, and another area.

Jaganmohan’s body reached his home in Chhatrapur on Wednesday, accompanied by his family. He had worked in the accounts section of the factory for over 20 years. His son, R. Sai Yashwanth, said they found his charred body after the explosion. The Telangana government has given Rs 1 lakh for last rites.

Samir Padhi, a machine operator for seven years, was injured just minutes after entering the factory. His brother-in-law Papu Choudhury, who worked in the paper section, narrowly escaped. He recalled that co-workers Lagnajit and a man from Bihar couldn’t escape and were killed.