Srisailam fire: CID takes over probe into accident at Telangana power plant

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday took over the probe into the fire at the Srisailam hydro-electric power plant that killed nine people and injured three. The fire broke out in the plant located in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana on August 20. Most of those who lost their lives, were engineers. Additional Director General of Police, CID, Govind Singh, appointed as the Inquiry Officer, along with a team of officials, visited the scene of the accident on Saturday. A case registered by the local police has been transferred to the CID, Singh told PTI. A woman was among the dead as thick smoke hampered rescue operations for over 12 hours after the fire in the electric panels of the underground powerhouse. The nine bodies were recovered on Friday afternoon. The victims, who were trapped inside the plant, died trying putting out the fire, officials had said. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday ordered a CID inquiry into the accident. The CID officer was directed to go into the facts and circumstances leading to the blaze and identify its cause before submitting his report to the government. The government had also directed Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Ltd (TS-GENCO) Chairman and Managing Director D Prabhakar Rao to constitute a committee of senior officers to inquire into the blaze and give a detailed report. The GENCO CMD shall report to the government on the findings and recommendations, a Government Order said. The committee shall also make recommendations on the measures to be taken to prevent such incidents in future, it said. The Chief Minister on Friday announced Rs 50 lakh as ex-gratia to Deputy Engineer Srinivas Goud's family and Rs 25 lakh each to the kin of other victims. Also, he announced one job each to the families of the deceased, besides other departmental benefits. The plant, located 125 metres under the ground in a long tunnel, has only one entry and exit point. Revanth Reddy detained Meanwhile, the police also detained Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Working President Revanth Reddy as he attempted to travel to the town and meet with the kin of the deceased. A video of the incident shows Revanth Reddy being physically lifted by the police as his supporters try to stop him from being detained. While one group of policemen are seen trying to put Revanth in the car as he resists, another group are seen trying to control the crowd that he was travelling with, by using a rope. Revanth was finally pushed into a police car which sped away and later released. శ్రీశైలం బాధితులని పరామర్శించటానికి వెళ్ళటం తప్పా..!? ప్రభుత్వం ప్రజా స్వామ్యాన్ని ఖూనీ చేస్తోంది... pic.twitter.com/SEhoTwmFwx — Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) August 22, 2020