Lives shattered: Telangana factory blast leaves trail of grief in Odisha

Balasore/Kendrapada: In the quiet village of Erabanka in Jajpur district, Sanjukta Sahu sits motionless, tears streaming down her face. Her son, 30-year-old Dolagobinda, will never return home from his job at Sigachi pharmaceutical factory in Telangana. "We are facing an uphill task after my son's death," she manages to say, her voice barely a whisper.The devastating explosion that rocked the Pashamylaram industrial area has left multiple families across different states grappling with unbearable loss. Among them is the family of Rajanala Jagan Mohan, a 55-year-old accounts officer from Chhatrapur, Ganjam, who had dedicated over two decades to the company. His son, R. Sai Yashwanth, recalls the horror of finding only his father's charred remains at the blast site.Another heart-wrenching story is that of 47-year-old Manoj Rout from Balasore, who had just returned home on leave but was urgently called back to duty. His family could only identify his body through a ring on his finger. His wife now faces the daunting task of raising their two young sons, aged five and ten, alone.The tragedy has also claimed the life of 20-year-old Lagnajeet Duari from Cuttack's Tigiria area, who had taken up the job to support his family. "We had dreams for him, but everything is shattered now," says his father, Manas Duari, fighting back tears.Meanwhile, 24-year-old Samir Padhy from Baharapur fights for his life in a Hyderabad hospital's ICU with 35% burn injuries. His brother-in-law, Papu Kumar Choudhury, who witnessed the explosion, describes the terrifying sequence of events. "Thick smoke engulfed the area within minutes, trapping several workers inside," he said.Nineteen-year-old Neelambar Batra from Nabarangpur district who narrowly escaped death, described the horrifying moments when the blast ripped through the pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing plant. "I had just started my shift at the powder-making unit when a massive explosion shook the plant. Within seconds, everything around me was blown apart," he recalled, his voice trembling as he spoke from his hospital bed over phone.The young worker, who hails from Bualiguda village under Jharigaon block, had migrated to Telangana just three months ago with four others, lured by the promise of Rs 700 per day for 12-hour shifts. "I feel lucky to have escaped with facial injuries, but I just want to return home and never work here again," said Batra, who is slowly recovering. Another youth from Batra's village, Chitrasen Bhadra, is currently undergoing treatment at Druva Hospital, Patancheru.As families perform last rites and communities mourn their losses, questions about industrial safety standards and workers' protection loom large. The tragedy has not only claimed lives but has also left behind grieving families, truncated dreams, and communities struggling to come to terms with their devastating losses.The Telangana government has provided initial compensation of Rs 1 lakh to affected families, but for many, like Sarbani, Dolagobinda's 24-year-old sister who remains in shock and unable to speak, no amount of money can fill the void left by their loved ones.(With inputs from Hrusikesh Mohanty, Satyanarayan Patnaik and Manabesh Mohanty)