Budaun,

13 Jan (HS): Three security guards assigned to a sealed mentha (peppermint) oil

facility in this city died of suspected asphyxiation while sleeping in a locked

room with a coal brazier, according to authorities. Two guards were discovered

dead on the factory grounds on Tuesday morning, while a third, who was in

serious condition, was brought to a government medical college and died while

being treated, according to reports.

Following

the event, family members of the dead protested at the plant, claiming that the

guards were beaten and murdered. They stated there was no brazier in the room

and that there were injuries on the bodies. Senior police officers arrived to

calm the demonstrators. According to Superintendent of Police (City) Vijendra

Kumar, a case has been launched against the factory owner in response to a

complaint from the families.

DSP

(Ujhani Circle) Devendra Kumar stated that no injury marks were detected on the

deceased; however the matter is being probed. Preliminary evidence reveals that

guards burned a coal brazier in the chamber and locked the door before

sleeping, resulting in asphyxia, he added. The plant, located on the Delhi

highway in Kooda Narsinghpur village under Ujhani Kotwali, was sealed following

a huge fire last year that caused crores of rupees in losses, but work is still

continuing inside, according to authorities.

Joginder

(32), Bhanu (22) and Vivek (27), all factory security guards, died. They stated

Joginder was deployed on behalf of Bank of Baroda, which had granted a loan to

the firm. The

bodies have been sent for postmortem inspection, and additional legal action

will be taken depending on the results and complaints, according to the

official.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi