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As the death toll in the ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing unit in Tiruvallur district rose to 15 on Friday, June 26, police arrested the labour agent accused of bringing migrant workers from Odisha to the factory.
The agent, identified as Suresh Prabhat (41), a native of Odisha, was arrested under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to reports.
Suresh had been identified during the initial stages of the investigation earlier this week but was kept under police surveillance at a private marriage hall along with other migrant workers until the victims' bodies were identified.
Police had earlier arrested the factory owners, M Joseph Jegan (49) of Royapuram and M Mohan (59) of Tondiarpet, along with factory manager R Daniel (70), in connection with the incident.
According to a Health Department bulletin issued on Friday, June 26, the two latest victims have been identified as Priti Devi from Jharkhand and Budhubari Naik from Odisha.
The bulletin also corrected the identity of one of the victims who died earlier. The 13th victim, initially identified as Pinki Juanga, has now been confirmed as Deepanjali Juanga from Odisha's Kendujhar district.
A total of 40 people continue to undergo treatment at various hospitals. Two patients remain on ventilator support, while nine are receiving oxygen through nasal cannulas. The remaining 29 are reported to be in stable condition. So far, 28 people have been discharged after treatment.
The mortal remains of 11 victims have been airlifted to Odisha and those of two others to Assam. The bodies of the latest two victims will be transported to their native states after the completion of legal formalities.
