Relatives of deceased workers wait in front of the morgue of KLE Hospital in Belgaum to collect their bodies on Thursday.
Credit: DH File Photo
Belagavi: Death toll in the leakage of boiling sugarcane juice while valves of Actuated Valve Control Packages (AVCP) were being replaced at compartment-1 of Inamdar Sugars at Markumbi village in Bailhongal taluk increased to seven with four more injured succumbing during treatment at the private hospital here on Thursday.
Three persons had succumbed and five others had suffered severe burn injuries due to boiling sugarcane juice leakage while valves of AVCP were being replaced at compartment-1 of Inamdar Sugars.
Earlier it was feared that the workers suffered burn injuries due to boiler blast. Negligence of the officials of the factory including the engineers has been alleged to be responsible for the incident.
Workers who had been replacing the valves Akshay Subhash Topade (45) resident of Jamkhandi in Bagalkot, Deepak Nagappa Munavalli (31) resident of Nesargi in Bailhongal and Sudarshan Banoshi (25) resident of Chikkamunavalli in Khanapur had succumbed to injuries on Wednesday.
Bharatesh Basappa Sarwadi (26) resident of Godchanmalki in Gokak, Gurupadappa Beerappa Tammannavar (38) from Marguddi in Bagalkot, Manjunath Madiwalappa Kajgar (28) resident of Aravalli in Bailhongal and Manjunath Gopal Terdal (31) resident of Hulikatti in Athani succumbed during treatment on Thursday. Condition of Raghavendra Mallappa Giriyal (36) resident of Gokak remains critical.
Family members of the deceased rued that none from the factory met them or consoled them. We have lost breadwinners and life was at dire straits. We expect they understand our situation and come to our aid.
Murgod police are investigating.