Worker suffers severe leg injuries in blast at construction site in Ravet

Pune: A 35-year-old construction worker, Babalu Shaikh, suffered severe leg injuries while drilling a hole for controlled blasting at a construction site in Ravet on Tuesday afternoon.

The Ravet police have registered a case under section 288 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances) and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against two site contractors.

Assistant inspector Rahul Kumbhar of the Ravet police told TOI that the construction of a housing project is underway in the Ravet area.

“On Monday, the site contractors conducted three controlled blasts at the site. On Tuesday, they decided to carry out one more blast. The duo told the workers to drill holes at the same spots without confirming whether the gelatin sticks were completely destroyed in Monday’s blasting. When Shaikh started drilling a hole, an unused gelatin stick exploded, and he suffered injuries,” Kumbhar said.

The officer said the contractors had a licence to carry out controlled blasts at the site.

“However, they did not obtain prior permission from the police and flouted the prohibitory order issued on May 25 by joint commissioner of police Shashikant Mahavarkar of the Pimpri Chinchwad police. Therefore, a case has been registered against the duo,” the officer said.