Mumbai: Police book laboratory in-charge for negligence

The incident took place in the institute’s lab in November 2022. File pic

The Worli police have registered an FIR against the lab assistant of Sasmira's Institute of Management Studies and Research due to allegations that two people died in the lab in November 2022 because of her negligence. The police had initially registered an accidental death report (ADR) in this matter.

"Four technical staff of the institute were present in the lab when the incident took place. The temperature of glycerine in a machine had to be maintained at 130°C. However, the temperature of the chemical rose sharply, causing it to spill out. Two people got injured while Pratiksha Ghume, 22, and Shraddha Shinde, 27, died during treatment," said a source.

The victim's statements were recorded by the police and they alleged that no proper equipment was provided by the institute. However, during investigations, the police concluded that the institute had proper equipment, but the lab in-charge was negligent. "Lab in-charge Leena Mhatre hadn't provided the employees with the protective gear," said an officer.

"We had initially registered an ADR in the case, but after the initial investigation, we found out that no safety equipment was provided to them by the lab in-charge. It is her duty to ensure that employees wear safety gear and she failed in her duty," said a police officer.

Senior PI Ravindra Katkar added, "We registered an FIR against Mhatre, 53, under IPC Section 304 (death due to negligence) and we will soon send a notice to her."
According to the FIR, four people - Rajiv Kulkarni, 61, Prajot Vade, 21, Shinde and Ghume - were present in the lab at the time of the incident. Glycerine was present in the dying machine and a temperature of 130°C had to be maintained. The machine was not working properly and Kulkarni told Ghume to turn it off.

Ghume realised that the machine was overheating, left her computer and rushed to cool it down by pouring water on it. However, the hot glycerine spilt over and the four employees present sustained burn injuries. Other staff rushed them to the institute washroom and poured water on them to relieve their pain. They were then shifted to the National Burns Centre Airoli for further treatment, where Shinde and Ghume succumbed to their injuries.