LIVE TV
Odisha
Recommended Stories
Dhenkanal: The district police on Saturday made it clear that no foreign national was missing after the explosion at the blast furnace-2 of Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) plant at Meramunduli here on November 13.
"As per records though foreign engineers were there in the plant on the day of commissioning of blast furnace-2, none was present close to the accident site," said Manoranjan Mohanty, Superintendent of Police (SP) of the district.
Mohanty added foreigners who come to the district are bound to register themselves with the police and give departure report while leaving the area as per the law.
"Our records show 74 foreign nationals were working with BSL. Out of them 65 are still here while 9 had left the district on November 14," the police officer added.
BSL also confirmed that no foreigner is missing since the blast, Mohanty said.
Notably, on Saturday, Labour Minister Bijayshree Routray dropped a bombshell while saying that five foreign nationals including 2 Thais and 3 Chinese have gone missing since the blast at BSL plant here.
On the number of casualties, which is still very unclear, the Dhenkanal SP said within a day or two the actual number of deaths and injured will be known. "We have got lists of workers from labour contractors who employed people in the plant. Verification of the lists is going on," Mohanty said in detail.
Government officials have confirmed the death of one person only.
On the other hand, relatives of missing workers crowded in front of the gates of the steel plant searching for their near and dear ones.
Leaders of various political parties are also staging dharnas in front of the main gate demanding immediate arrest of the owner of the company and compensation for the victims.
