Gujarat textile mill tragedy: Death toll climbs to seven as families protest for justice

AHMEDABAD: The death toll in the horrific Palsana textile mill blast continues to rise, leaving families shattered and a village in mourning. With four workers succumbing to their injuries in just two days, Jolva village in Surat district of Gujarat has been plunged into grief and anger. What began as a routine day at Textile Mill on September 1 turned catastrophic when a chemical-filled drum exploded, sparking a massive fire. Two workers were charred to death on the spot, while over 15 others suffered severe burns. Firefighters, ambulances, and police rushed to the site, with 11 critically injured workers shifted to a private hospital in Udhna, Surat. Three days later, Priyanka Devi (36) became the third victim to die during treatment. Tragedy deepened when Jogendra Munilal Prajapati (35) and Preeti Nagendra Singh (28) succumbed to their injuries on Monday. Today, Sushma Ganesh Mishra (39) and Munna Vishwanath Das (24) passed away, pushing the death toll to seven. Two more victims remain in a critical condition. Families of the deceased staged a dramatic protest outside the Udhna hospital, where grieving women formed a human chain and blocked the road, demanding proper compensation. Police had to intervene to pacify the crowd. The dead bodies were later shifted to the New Civil Hospital for postmortem. The mill owner has pledged financial support to the victims families Rs 15 lakh each, including Rs 50,000 cash upfront, Rs 4 lakh via cheque, and an additional Rs 10 lakh through insurance. The management has also promised to cover the education expenses of the deceased workers' children. Meanwhile, the Industrial Safety Department has shut down the mill and launched a probe, though the investigation report is still pending.