Prayagraj,

24 March (HS): Former Samajwadi Party MLA Ansar Ahmad, the owner of the cold

storage facility that collapsed in the Phaphamau region here, killing four

workers and wounding numerous more, was arrested on Tuesday, according to

authorities. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ganga Nagar) Kuldeep Gunawat said a

FIR was filed late Monday night against seven named individuals and four to

five unnamed individuals in connection with the incident. Ansar Ahmad has been

detained and is being questioned, he claimed.

The

district administration has launched an investigation into the event. District

Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has delegated the investigation to Additional

District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Vinita Singh. Singh stated that a

preliminary report will be submitted within two days, and a comprehensive

report within seven days.

On

Monday afternoon, a piece of the cold storage in Chandapur village, which is

under the jurisdiction of Phaphamau police station, fell, killing four workers

and injuring 14. The injured are being treated at the SRN Hospital. Police

Commissioner Jogendra Kumar stated that the event will be properly probed,

including the status of the facility's licensing and its renewal. We will look

into how a decaying facility was awarded a license. He promised that those

proven to be involved will face severe consequences. The fall also resulted in

the discharge of ammonia gas from a storage tank, causing fear in the nearby

region, officials said.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi