Sulphas Poisoning in Diamond Factory: 150 Workers Fall Ill After Drinking Contaminated Water
Surat (The Uttam Hindu): There was a stir in a diamond factory located in Surat city of Gujarat, when more than 150 workers working there suddenly fell ill. This incident happened in a diamond factory named Anbha Gems under Kapodara police station area, where the workers were working on cutting diamonds as usual.
According to the police and the factory management, some workers drank water from the water cooler installed in the factory, after which they started complaining of dizziness and vomiting. Other workers informed the management about the unusual smell coming from the water, after which the matter took a serious turn. As soon as the incident was reported, Kapodara police reached the spot and started investigation. In the initial investigation, a packet of sulphas was recovered near the water cooler. Police said that the cover of the packet was torn, although the packet inside was still safe.
Seeing the seriousness of the matter, the factory owners immediately rushed all the workers to the hospital for medical examination. A total of 104 people were admitted to Kiran Hospital and 14 to Diamond Hospital. Out of these, two workers have been kept in the ICU due to their critical condition, while the rest have been admitted to the general ward due to minor complaints.
Police have registered a case under Section 109(1) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) considering the incident as an attempt to murder. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) VR Patel said that five teams have been formed to investigate the case, which are investigating different angles.
He said, "With the help of CCTV footage and human intelligence, we are trying to find out how and who mixed sulphas in the water." The police is also investigating whether this incident happened accidentally or there was a conspiracy behind it.
Some workers admitted in the hospital said that they had no idea that something was mixed in the water. One worker said, "We drank water in the afternoon and after that suddenly started feeling dizzy. Then we were brought to the hospital." At present, all the patients are undergoing treatment and their condition is being monitored.
