In a post on X, Naveen Jindal (left) said the tragedy was “deeply painful” and called for compensation, livelihood support and a thorough probe, but questioned naming Agarwal before the investigation. (Credit: Express Archive, Instagram/anilagarwal_vedanta)Days after an explosion at a Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district, industrialist and MP Naveen Jindal has backed Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal, who has been named in an FIR. The development comes as the death toll rose to 23.In a post on X, Jindal said the tragedy was “deeply painful” and called for compensation, livelihood support and a thorough probe, but questioned naming Agarwal before the investigation.“Proper compensation, livelihood support for the families, and a thorough investigation are non-negotiable. But naming Shri Anil Agarwal Ji in the FIR before any investigation raises serious concerns. He is a self-made man from a humble and backward community background who built a global enterprise from scratch. He had no role in that plant’s operations. When accidents happen in PSU plants or Railways, do we name the Chairman? We do not,” he said. The blast occurred around 2.30 pm in a boiler tube at the power plant in Singhitarai village. (Source: Express Photo/ Enhanced by AI)He went on to say: “The same standard must apply to the private sector, too. Investigate first. Establish responsibility based on evidence. Then act. India’s #ViksitBharat vision needs people like Shri Anil Agarwal to keep investing and building. That happens only when investors trust the system”.The remarks come as two more workers have succumbed to injuries. Three remain critical and nine are under observation at hospitals in Raipur and Raigarh.The deceased were identified as Subrata Jana (Medinipur, West Bengal), who died at Raigarh Medical College in the early hours of Saturday, and Upendra Sah (Garhwa, Jharkhand), who died at Kalda Hospital, Raipur. A doctor, requesting anonymity, said timely admission within the first six hours is crucial for survival in such cases.On Friday, Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant demanded that charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder be added to the FIR. He also sought a judicial inquiry instead of an SDM-level probe and called for treatment of the injured at specialised burn units outside the state, along with a dedicated burn hospital in Chhattisgarh.Story continues below this adThe explosion occurred around 2.30 pm on Tuesday in Boiler-01 of the Vedanta plant. A preliminary report by the Chief Inspector of Boilers cited excessive fuel accumulation in the furnace, leading to extreme pressure and the blast. An FSL report from Sakti corroborated this finding.Investigators said Vedanta and NGSL failed to adhere to maintenance and operational standards, with lapses causing sudden pressure fluctuations. “Based on available evidence and technical reports, clear negligence has been observed,” an official statement said.An FIR currently invokes sections related to death due to negligence and negligent conduct with machinery against “Vedanta Company Director Anil Agarwal, Company Manager Devendra Patel, and other responsible officers and employees” for prima facie negligence.Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Vedanta