Verka Milk Plant Explosion Claims Life of Chief Engineer, Colleagues Critical

Massive explosion ripped through the Verka milk plant on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur road in Punjab's bustling industrial hub on Wednesday night, October 22, 2025, claiming the life of a 42-year-old chief engineer and leaving five colleagues critically injured. The blast, which occurred during routine repair work on a high-pressure steam boiler used for milk powder processing, sent shockwaves through the community, prompting an urgent probe into potential safety lapses at the state-run facility.

The victim, identified as Kunal Jain—a dedicated resident of Haqiqat Nagar in Ludhiana's Haibowal area—was overseeing the maintenance when the boiler catastrophically failed around 10:30 p.m. Eyewitnesses described a deafening roar followed by thick plumes of steam and debris billowing from the plant's processing unit, turning a quiet night shift into pandemonium. Jain succumbed to severe burns and blast trauma at the scene, while his team—Kulwant Singh, Puneet Kumar, Ajit Singh, Davinder Singh, and Gurtej—was swiftly evacuated and rushed to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in Ludhiana. As of Thursday morning, all five remain in critical condition in the ICU, battling life-threatening injuries including third-degree burns, shrapnel wounds, and respiratory distress from inhaling superheated gases.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajesh Kumar confirmed the details, stating, "The explosion was confined to the boiler section, but its intensity was alarming. We're conducting a thorough investigation to pinpoint the exact cause—whether it was a pressure buildup, faulty valve, or human error during repairs." Forensic teams and Punjab's Factories Inspectorate descended on the site early Thursday, cordoning off the area as engineers assessed the mangled wreckage. Preliminary reports suggest the boiler, part of the plant's core milk evaporation system, may have suffered from accumulated wear or inadequate safety protocols, though officials are withholding judgment until a full report emerges.

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The Verka milk plant, operated by the Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (MILKFED), is a lifeline for thousands of local dairy farmers, processing over 5 lakh liters of milk daily and supplying the iconic Verka brand across northern India. This tragedy marks a dark chapter for the facility, which ironically hosted a chemical disaster mock drill just months earlier in March 2025 to bolster emergency response capabilities. That exercise, involving firefighters, police, and medical teams, simulated a similar high-risk scenario—yet the real event exposed gaps in implementation, with responders praising the swift evacuation but lamenting the preventable loss.

Jain's family, devastated by the news, has demanded a transparent inquiry and accountability from plant management. "Kunal was the backbone of our family and a pillar at work—he warned about maintenance issues but was told to proceed," a relative told local media, tears streaming as they gathered outside DMCH. Colleagues remembered him as a meticulous professional with over 15 years in the dairy sector, often volunteering for night shifts to ensure smooth operations.

As Ludhiana reels from the incident, labor unions are calling for an immediate shutdown of similar high-risk equipment statewide pending safety audits. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed condolences via social media, announcing ex-gratia payments of ₹10 lakh to Jain's kin and ₹2 lakh each to the injured, while directing a high-level committee to submit findings within 72 hours. "Such accidents are unacceptable in our progressive Punjab—we will leave no stone unturned to safeguard our workers," Mann posted on X.

This blast underscores the perils lurking in India's industrial underbelly, where rapid growth often outpaces safety enforcement. With the festive season underway, the incident serves as a grim reminder: behind every bottle of Verka milk lies the unseen labor of heroes like Kunal Jain, whose sacrifice demands urgent reforms to prevent tomorrow's headlines from mirroring today's tragedy.

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