Nagpur factory blast: Nine directors of explosives company arrested

“Police arrested nine directors of an explosives manufacturing company in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district where an explosion killed 18 people,” officials said in a statement on Monday, March 2, 2026.

“Kalmeshwar police in Nagpur registered a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against 21 directors and shareholders of SBL Energy Limited,” they said. Police officials said, “Nine managers of the company have been arrested so far.”

At least 18 workers were burnt to death and 24 others were injured, most of them critically, in a powerful explosion at the detonator packaging unit of mining and industrial explosives manufacturer SBL Energy Limited at Raulgaon in Katol tehsil in Nagpur on Sunday morning (March 1, 2026).

Inspector of Police (Nagpur Rural) Dr. Harssh Poddar said on Monday, March 2, 206, that the first report prepared by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) and the Defense Information System for Security (DISS) pointed out security gaps in the company. “The police took action upon notice and filed a lawsuit against company officials,” he said.

“The arrested persons are being questioned and efforts are on to capture the remaining accused in the case,” the official said.

According to the police, the bodies were charred beyond recognition and samples were being taken from family members for DNA testing to identify the deceased.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the blast.