A tragic workplace accident at India Glass Solutions in Pune, Maharashtra, has claimed the lives of four workers and left three others injured after heavy glass panes fell from a container truck during unloading operations. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, September 29, 2024, at the Yewalewadi-based factory, leading to the arrest of three individuals.
The deceased workers have been identified as Amit Shivshankar Kumar (27), Vikas Sarju Prasad Gautam (23), Dharmendra Satyapal Kumar (40), and Pavan Ramchandra Kumar (44).
Police confirmed that the workers were unloading large wooden boxes filled with glass panes, weighing about 5,500 pounds, when a safety belt holding the boxes broke. This caused the panes to fall over the workers, fatally crushing them beneath the immense weight.
Initial investigations have indicated that negligence and a lack of adequate safety measures contributed to the deadly accident. Senior Inspector Vinay Patankar from the local police commented, “Prima facie, negligence has been observed. Accordingly, we are now lodging a complaint against company authority.”
Law enforcement has since charged five individuals, including company partners Hussain Tayyabali Pithawala and Hatim Hussain Motorwala, along with truck driver Raju Dashrath Rasge, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide.
The Pune Fire Brigade used a crane and other rescue equipment to retrieve the bodies of the workers from the truck. The victims were immediately transported to Sassoon Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival.
According to police, the glass panes were imported from Malaysia and transported by truck from Mumbai to Pune. Defense lawyers representing the accused argued that the accident resulted from a failure in the safety belt to secure the glass panes during transport, suggesting that the responsibility lay with the packager rather than the accused individuals. The court has placed the accused in judicial custody pending further investigation.
Family members of the deceased workers gathered at the hospital after the tragedy, deeply affected by the loss of their loved ones. Speaking to the media outside the hospital, one family member expressed their sorrow, explaining that the workers had come to Pune to support their families. Still, now they were faced with the heartbreaking task of bringing them home in coffins. The workers had been employed in Pune for several years, having previously worked in Mumbai before transferring to their current positions.
The police have stated that they will work closely with other regional glass manufacturers to review safety practices and implement more stringent safety protocols. Authorities are also preparing to conduct a broader inspection of safety standards across similar facilities in Pune.