Bhoiguda Scrap Godown Fire: Owner Arrested for Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder

Hyderabad: Nearly a month after an inferno at a scrap godown killed 12 migrant labourers from Bihar, police detained godown operator D Sampath, 47, from his home in Saroornagar on a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and placed him in judicial custody.

On March 23, a fire at Shravan Scrap Shop in Bhoiguda claimed the lives of 11 people. Prem Kumar, one of the workers who managed to escape the godown with injuries, died on Saturday while receiving care at a local hospital.

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Sampath, a scrap godown operator, was detained on Tuesday and placed in judicial detention under Section 304 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The police filed a negligence complaint under Sections 304-a and 337 of the IPC shortly after the accident. Following the investigation, the section was changed to a culpable homicide under section 304 (ii) of the IPC. "Sampath did not have a licence from GHMC. He also did not have the labour department's permission. Accommodation for workers should not have been given there at the godown, and there were no fire safety measures in place," said Ch Sridhar, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Chikkadpally.

Sampath was hospitalised for almost a week after the accident owing to diabetes and blood pressure issues. He was later on the run. Sampath was arrested at his home on Tuesday and placed on judicial remand. Sampath leased the godown from Sudhakar Reddy, the property owner, for Rs 50,000 per month. Police said they were also checking the responsibility of others in the case, including Reddy.