Hyderabad, June 30: A massive explosion at an industrial unit in Telangana’s Sangareddy district claimed the lives of 13 workers and left 35 others injured on Monday.

The blast occurred in a chemical factory at Pashamylaram industrial area, about 50 km from Hyderabad.

The explosion in Sigachi Chemicals led to the collapse of a three-story building in the manufacturing unit and triggered a huge fire.

The death toll may rise as some more workers are feared trapped under the debris. The injured were admitted to various hospitals, and the condition of 12 of them was critical.

The explosion occurred around 9.30 a.m. in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit. The rescue operation was continuing on Monday night.

According to eye-witnesses, such was the impact of the explosion that workers were tossed in the air and fell several meters away.

Eleven fire engines brought the fire under control. Police, fire services and other personnel launched rescue and relief operations.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), Revenue and police were participating in rescue and relief works.

Eight workers died on the spot while five others succumbed at hospitals. Company’s vice-president M. E. Elanghovan is reported to be among the dead.

As many as 108 workers were at the factory during the time of the explosion. Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, who visited the spot, said most of the workers managed to come out.

Migrant workers from Bihar, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and other states were employed in the industrial unit.

The explosion and fire sent panic among the employees in the chemical unit and the adjoining factories.

Raja Narasimha told media persons that the cause of the explosion was not yet known. The company, which is 40-45 years old, manufactures Microcrystalline Cellulose, he said.

Labour Minister G. Vivek said 12 of the injured were on ventilator support as their respiratory system was badly affected. He said the factory manager was among those killed, and the records pertaining to workers were also destroyed in the fire.

The Labour Minister said prima facie it was not a reactor blast. Some problem in the air dryer system is believed to have resulted in the explosion and fire.

The disaster, one of the worst in the state’s history, sent panic in the industrial cluster and triggered protests by families of the victims, who alleged that a lack of safety measures led to the tragedy.

Anxious relatives of the missing workers staged a protest and tried to barge into the premises, demanding information about their loved ones. The protest led to a scuffle with the police and triggered tension.

Director General (Fire Services) Nagi Reddy and HYDRAA Commissioner A. V. Ranganath also rushed to the spot. Sangareddy district Collector P. Pravinya and Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj were supervising rescue and relief operations.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the accident. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” she said in her message.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy. He conveyed condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and prayed for the recovery of those injured.

The Prime Minister announced that an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the accident, conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and promised all support to the victims.

The Chief Minister instructed the Health Minister, Chief Secretary, and the DGP to deploy all efforts for the rescue and relief operations.

He also appointed a high-powered committee to probe the disaster and its underlying causes.

The committer comprises the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretary (Labour), Principal Secretary (Health) and Additional DGP (Fire Services).

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the panel would also make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such accidents.

The Chief Minister will visit the hospital and meet families of the victims on Tuesday.

Governor Jishnu Dev Varma expressed profound grief over the accident. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, termed the fire accident extremely tragic. “My heartfelt condolences are with those who have lost their loved ones in this incident. I hope for the speedy recovery of all those injured,” he said.

AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was extremely anguished by the loss of precious lives.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the bereaved. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured. We wish them a speedy recovery,” he said.

New Delhi, June 30: Gold prices fell Rs 200 to Rs 97,470 per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday due to continuous selling by stockists, according to the All India Sarafa Association.

The precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 97,670 per 10 grams on Friday.

Extending the losses for the seventh straight day, gold of 99.5 per cent purity slipped Rs 150 to Rs 97,050 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). It had settled at Rs 97,200 per 10 grams in the previous market session.

“Gold continues to face downward pressure as both geopolitical and economic uncertainties ease. The cooling of tensions in the Middle East and the progress on trade agreements with the US are lowering the immediate need for safe haven assets.

“As countries move swiftly to finalise deals, risk sentiment across markets has improved, prompting investors to unwind safe-haven positions,” Abans Financial Services’ Chief Executive Officer Chintan Mehta said.

Also, falling crude oil prices are easing inflationary concerns, further reducing the appeal of gold as an inflation hedge, Mehta added.

Silver prices also went lower by Rs 200 to Rs 1,02,800 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) on Monday. The white metal had finished at Rs 1,03,000 per kg on Friday.

Meanwhile, the most traded gold futures for August delivery rose by Rs 520 or 0.54 per cent to Rs 95,990 per 10 grams on the Multi Commodity Exchange.

“In June alone, gold prices slipped by about 5 per cent, showing that some profit booking is happening.

“This does not mean gold has turned weak, geopolitical tensions, like worries about conflicts flaring up again in West Asia, and continued central bank buying are still giving gold good support,” Trivesh D, Chief Operating Officer at Tradejini, said.

Meanwhile, spot gold appreciated by USD 12.06 or 0.37 per cent to USD 3,286.31 per ounce in the global markets.

“Gold remains under pressure, trading near USD 3,300 per ounce, as renewed optimism over global trade negotiations lifted risk sentiment,” Kaynat Chainwala, AVP-Commodity Research, Kotak Securities, said.

According to Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst – Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, this week is crucial, with a slew of high-impact US macroeconomic data, including ADP non-farm employment, non-farm payrolls, and the unemployment rate, all of which will provide further direction to gold prices.

New Delhi, June 30: A political storm has ensued over the stirring remarks made by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, at the “Save Waqf, Save Constitution” rally in Patna, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and INDIA bloc leaders taking potshots at each other over ‘using’ the Waqf reforms as a ploy to win votes.

The BJP called it a brazen attempt by the RJD-Congress-Left combine to ‘influence’ the election mood in the poll-bound state by fanning anti-Muslim sentiments, while the latter vowed to step up the fight against ‘communal designs’ of the ruling party.

BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the Opposition parties of attempting to turn the Constitution into ‘Sharia script’ while strongly reproving the latter’s calls to discard and override the Waqf reforms, claiming that it was doing so in its desperation to secure its vote bank, a section largely comprising minorities.

On the other hand, RJD maintained that Tejashwi’s call to oppose the black law tooth and nail by the INDIA bloc has left the BJP anxious and worried, and hence the latter was deliberately giving the issue a Hindu-Muslim spin.

On Sunday, while addressing a mega gathering at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, under the banner of ‘Save Waqf, Save Constitution’ campaign, Bihar’s former Depurty CM said that NDA government will be unseated this time and when Mahagathbandhan (RJD-Congress-Left) returns to power, it will throw the Waqf Amendment Act in the dustbin.

This created a political furore, with a couple of BJP spokespersons alleging that the INDIA bloc was trying to enforce Sharia provisions from the backdoor while opposition parties hit back at the ruling party, accusing it of fomenting communal divide.

Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary and JD(U) leader, reacting to the row, called out RJD’s past misdeeds and also its lip-service towards the community, despite ruling the state for 15 years.

“This suits their narrative because they claim to represent the M.Y. (Muslim-Yadav) community. But those from the M.Y. community must ask themselves, during the 15 years of their rule, how many minority hostels were built? How many madrasas were brought under government recognition?” he asked.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh took a sharp jibe at RJD’s Waqf politics and said that the party, which portrayed itself as ‘samaajwadi’, has turned into ‘namaazwadi’.

“Lalu Yadav gave birth to dynasty politics. While indulging in dynasty politics, Tejashwi started calling himself a socialist. In trying to become a socialist from a dynast, he has turned into a ‘namaazwadi’,” said the Union Minister.

RJD was, however, quick to rebut the charges and claimed that the ‘nervous’ BJP was projecting it as a Hindu-Muslim issue to spread hatred.

“Yesterday, when a strong voice was raised from Patna’s Gandhi Maidan against the black law of the Waqf Amendment Bill, the BJP became anxious. Now, BJP leaders are preaching about Hindus, Muslims and spreading hatred. They need to be reminded that this country will not run on the agenda of hate-mongers. This country will run according to its own rules, laws, and Constitution,” RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said.

Pawan Khera, the Congress party’s media and publicity department chairman, said that Congress and its allies opposed the amendments in the Waqf Act, but the government bulldozed through the legislation in the House.

“The Opposition voted against the amendments. 232 votes were against it, while 288 members supported it. We continue to oppose the Act and will keep speaking against it,” he said.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, reacting to the controversy, said, “Whenever elections come, these people begin to lure the votes of a large section of the society through communal polarisation. Once again, they are playing gimmicks, aimed at creating communal polarisation and hatching a conspiracy to kidnap the votes of a large section of society by spreading fear and confusion in their minds. But, they will not succeed in this.”