Assam: Five arrested after fatal explosion at Cachar iron casting unit
Assam Police arrested five people, including the owner, after a blast at a Cachar iron casting unit killed four workers. Investigators are examining alleged safety lapses and a suspected LPG leak as the cause.
- Jul 28, 2026,
- Updated Jul 28, 2026, 9:32 AM IST
Five people, including the owner of an iron casting unit in Assam's Cachar district, have been arrested in connection with the explosion that claimed the lives of four workers earlier this week, police said on July 28.
The unit's owner, Rakesh Kumar Surana, was arrested in Guwahati on Monday, July 27, and later brought to Udharbond Police Station in Cachar for questioning. Police said he has been booked for alleged negligence over the failure to maintain adequate safety measures at the facility.
Four others, including the unit's manager, who had been detained shortly after the incident, were formally arrested on Monday.
Police said forensic experts will inspect the factory as part of the ongoing investigation to determine the exact cause of the blast.
The explosion occurred on Sunday at an iron casting unit operating from a shared compound in Pangram under the jurisdiction of Udharbond Police Station. Besides the four fatalities, several others sustained injuries in the incident.
Preliminary findings suggest that the blast was triggered by an LPG cylinder leak during casting operations, according to investigators.
The deceased have been identified as Kiran Munda, Appu Baraik, Shyamal Gour and Sagar Nath, the Chief Minister's Office said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the families of each of the four victims.