Incense factory goes up in smoke

December 14, 2011

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Bangalore, December 14: Little did those who moved into the new building on 12th cross in Kadirenahalli, South Bangalore know they were bang next to a ticking bomb. On Tuesday morning, when fire destroyed chemicals and other raw material used to manufacture incense sticks at Balaji Agarbathi Pvt Ltd, residents realized the folly of having a factory in a residential area.

It took 11 hours and 19 fire tenders making multiple trips to bring the fire under control. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the three-storey factory was completely gutted and the loss is yet to be calculated. Fire service officers said the building neither had fire-fighting equipment nor a No-Objection Certificate from the department.

A group of cooks who came to cater for a function in a house opposite the factory sounded the first alarm at 4.30am. One of them saw fumes coming out of the ground floor but before they could figure out what was going on, the fire engulfed the building.

Four vehicles from the Banashankari fire station sped to the spot. However, they realized that four fire tenders wouldn't be enough to douse the fire. Additional equipment and personnel were summoned and by 7am, 19 fire tenders were on the job. The fire tenders had to make multiple trips to Jayanagar to get water as the building didn't have enough saved for an emergency.

Neighbours told mediapersons they had complained many times about the factory. "There was a stink of chemicals from the factory and we were having health problems due to it. This fire is our worst fears come true," said V Muniraju, owner of the building opposite the factory.

Around 60 people work in the factory. "We left the factory last night around 8.30pm. This morning, I was told by a colleague that our factory was on fire," said a worker. Next to the factory is a hostel which has about 20 working women, and opposite it as well behind it are two three-storyed building with people staying there. The building to the right is just a metre away and its doors open towards the burning building. Fortunately, that building was not occupied.

Firefighter removed at least 20 drums of inflammable chemicals from the burning building. They said the primary chemical found was diethyl phthalate, which on burning produces toxic gases. Also, they found other colouring agents and raw material for making incense sticks.

The reason for the fire is not known, according to people in the area there was welding work going on the morning that might have led to the fir. However, the preliminary investigation points towards a short circuit. DCP Sonia Narang told TOI that the building owner did not have satisfactory answers to police questions about the fire safety audit. Police said a case of negligence has been filed against the factory owners Balaji and Bhaskar. The owners refused to comment on the incident.

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Agencies
January 21,2020

Tengnoupal, Jan 21: A woman IPS officer has alleged that a rifleman of Assam Rifles physically assaulted and molested her at a check post near Moreh town in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, police said on Tuesday.

Based on a written complaint of the IPS officer, an FIR has been registered against rifleman P K Pandey and a summon has been issued to him to appear before the concerned police station, the police said.

Manipur DGP L M Khaute told reporters on Monday, "We have made contacts with the Assam Rifles authorities. A complaint has been lodged by the officer." In her complaint, the IPS officer said that on reaching Khudengtabi check post on Sunday afternoon one of her escorts, who was not in uniform, told the frisking party of Assam Rifles to register their entry.

Despite showing their identity cards, the rifleman allegedly detained them, she said.

"We offered to search ourselves and the vehicle, but he was not interested", she said.

The rifleman began hitting the official vehicle and "misbehaved, humiliated, harassed and assaulted me and my escort personnel," she alleged.

The IPS officer also alleged that the rifleman molested her and when her escorts tried to intervene, he thrashed them.

She further accused the rifleman of making "sexually coloured" remarks against her, using abusive language and even tried to snatch her phone when she tried to call her senior officers.

The issue was brought under control after the matter was reported to the Brigadier of 26th Assam Rifles and the Major of the D-company of 12th AR, police said.

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Agencies
January 12,2020

Mumbai, Jan 12: At least eight persons were killed and several others injured when a massive blast followed by a fire ripped a chemical factory at Boisar in Palghar district, nearly 100 km north of Mumbai, on Saturday, officials said.

Top Palghar district administration, police and fire brigade officials have rushed to the spot for the rescue operation, while Fire Brigade teams from Boisar MIDC industrial area and Tarapur Atomic Power Station are engaged in dousing the flames.

As per local witnesses, the intensity of the explosion was so severe that it was audible in a 35-km range and one building in the factory collapsed.

Besides, many homes in the immediate vicinity were shaken and people ran outside thinking it was an earthquake, as power lines also failed.

The exact cause of the explosion-cum-blaze which occurred around 7 p.m. is not immediately available.

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News Network
February 5,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 5: City Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru City have arrested two drug peddlers from Kerala and have seized banned products from their possession.

According to officials the arrested persons have been identified as Shinto Thomas (35) of Wayanad and Tajudden Talat (29) of Thiruvananthapuram.

"We have seized 4 kg 350 grams of Hashish oil, 21.5 kgs of Ganja, Rs. 9300 cash, two mobile phones, two ganja crushing tools, and 625 empty boxes and other articles from them", police said in a statement.

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