Four people died and 11 were injured after ammonia gas leaked following an explosion at a food processing unit in Shambhu-Ghanaur road here early on Tuesday, prompting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to order a magisterial probe into the incident. The chief minister also announced Rs 1 lakh ex gratia to the next of the kin of each deceased and free treatment to the injured admitted to the Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, an official spokesperson said. According to the police, a blast was heard before the gas leaked suggesting that a cylinder filled with ammonia could have exploded inside the food processing unit. After hearing sound of the blast villagers rushed to the facility. The injured were rushed to the hospital where four of them were declared brought dead, the police said. The spokesperson said, the chief minister expressed shock and dismay at the loss of lives and ordered a magisterial inquiry that would look into all aspects of the incident and pin responsibility. Amarinder Singh also ordered the Patiala Deputy Commissioner to personally oversee the rescue and relief operations. The chief minister directed the civil and police administration to extend all possible assistance to the victims and support the joint team of National Disaster Response Force and chemical experts from National Fertilisers Limited that is carrying out relief operations.
