Telangana reactor blast kills 36; firm charged with attempted murder
02 Jul 2025

The deadly explosion at Sigachi Industries's chemical plant in Telangana's Sangareddy district on Monday has led to the company management being charged with culpable homicide amounting to murder, grievous hurt, and attempted murder.

The incident, which took place in the Pashamylaram Industrial Area of Patancheru mandal, killed 36 people and left several others critically injured.

The reactor explosion happened during routine operations at the facility.

Facility lacked fire safety certificate, oversight
Investigation findings

An investigation into the incident has revealed several safety violations at Sigachi Industries.

The facility, which was built in 1989, lacked a mandatory fire safety certificate and current fire department oversight.

Director General of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Y Nagi Reddy confirmed that while some fire safety equipment was present, critical deficiencies such as missing fire alarms and heat sensors were found.

No blast-resistant walls or roofs in processing areas
Safety lapses

The investigation also revealed structural safety issues, such as the absence of blast-resistant walls or roofs in processing areas.

Reddy explained, "There was no Fire NOC (no-objection certificate). This building does not come under the purview of Section 13 of the Fire Act where NOC is required."

He added, "The audit report from the Fire Department is as good as non-existent."

Complaint filed by son of deceased worker
Safety negligence

Further, the investigation found improper handling of microcrystalline cellulose, a highly inflammable material.

No third-party safety inspections had been conducted in recent years, and outdated machinery was still in use despite worker warnings about safety risks.

Based on a complaint by Sai Yashwanth Rajanala, son of one of the deceased, Sigachi management has been charged with culpable homicide amounting to murder, grievous hurt, and attempted murder under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 105, 110, and 117.

Complainant's father worked at Sigachi for 20 years
Complaint details

Rajanala's father, Rajanala Venkat Jagan Mohan, who worked at Sigachi Industries for 20 years, died in the explosion.

The complainant alleged that workers had repeatedly asked management to replace unsafe machinery, but their requests were ignored.

He claimed that the explosion and subsequent fire were caused by this negligence, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.