Jharkhand News : Tension prevailed at the Jharkhand Ispat Private Limited plant, operated by the Rungta Group, after a furnace blast left nine workers injured on Monday in Hesla under the Ramgarh police station area.
According to reports, five of the injured workers are in critical condition. They were initially given first aid and later referred to Dev Kamal Hospital in Ranchi for advanced treatment. The remaining four injured workers are currently undergoing treatment at Hope Hospital.
The injured workers have been identified as Ashok Bedia, Brijlal Bedia, Suresh Bedia, Raju Jha, Chhotu Sao, Mahesh Mahto, Shyam Dev Mahto, Akil Rai, and Rajvallabh Yadav.
Following the incident, family members of the workers staged a protest outside the plant gate, alleging negligence by the company management. Protesters blocked the entrance and demanded better medical care and compensation. Eyewitnesses said a sudden furnace blast caused a loud explosion, severely burning the workers on duty.
The families have placed an eight-point demand before the management. Key demands include:
- Advanced medical treatment for injured workers
- Compensation of ₹1 crore in case of death
- Jobs and pensions for dependents of deceased workers
- Issuance of ID cards and implementation of PF and ESI benefits
- Payment of minimum wages
- Limiting work shifts to 8 hours
Several local leaders and public representatives joined the protest in support of the families. They stated that they would continue the agitation until justice is delivered.
Tripartite talks between the management, public representatives, and families have been ongoing for over eight hours. However, no agreement has been reached so far, particularly regarding compensation.
The protest has disrupted operations at the plant, and long queues of vehicles have formed outside the facility.
The situation remains tense, with heavy security deployed to maintain law and order. Officials, including Sub-Divisional Officer Anurag Kumar Tiwari, confirmed that negotiations are ongoing and adequate security arrangements have been put in place to prevent any escalation.
