Tiruvallur: Court rejects bail plea of four in ammonia leak case

TIRUVALLUR: A Tiruvallur court on Friday dismissed the bail petitions of four persons arrested in connection with the ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing unit in Kannigaipair village that has claimed 18 lives.

Principal District and Sessions Judge Dr J Juliet Pushpa rejected the bail applications after the prosecution opposed their release, citing the gravity of the incident.

The accused include the factory owners Joseph Mohan and Joseph Jagan of Washermenpet in Chennai, factory manager Daniel, and contractor Suresh of Sullurpet. They were arrested by the Periyapalayam police and remanded to judicial custody in Puzhal prison.

Appearing for the prosecution, District Government Pleader P N Udhayakumar argued that the accused should not be granted bail as the incident had resulted in the deaths of 18 workers.

The ammonia gas leak occurred on June 21 at St Peter and Paul Sea Foods Exports Pvt Ltd in Kannigaipair village, Tiruvallur district.

Meanwhile, 14 workers continue to undergo treatment in hospitals.

The Tiruvallur district administration has also completed the repatriation of migrant workers from Odisha, Assam, Kerala and West Bengal, who had been accommodated in a private marriage hall at Periyapalayam after the accident, to their respective home states.