Surat diamond worker arrested for contaminating factory water during suicide bid

Ahmedabad: The Surat police have arrested an employee of a diamond factory for allegedly throwing a poison pouch into the water filter of the facility, putting 118 diamond workers at risk, officials said on Friday.

Police said that a preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused intended to mix the poison-- an insecticide-- into a glass of water and consume it in an attempt to die by suicide. However, as other workers moved nearby, he panicked and threw the poison pouch into the water filter to conceal his action. However, police are also investigating all possibilities to rule out any deeper or more sinister motives.

According to police, the incident came to light after a few workers began complaining of dizziness after drinking water from a factory-installed cooler on April 9. Seven-eight workers were rushed to the hospital for treatment. Two of them, exhibiting severe symptoms, were admitted to the ICU, while the others were treated for milder issues like dizziness and discomfort. As a precautionary measure, the remaining 110-111 workers were also taken to hospitals for medical examinations.

“The damage was not severe because the poison packet was not open,” commissioner of police Anupam Singh Gehlot said.

The commissioner said that the accused, identified as an assistant manager in the administration department of the diamond factory who is in his late 20s, had initially pretended to be one of the victims. However, a police investigation led to the accused through careful tracking of the poison’s purchase trail.

After a formal complaint by the factory manager, five investigative teams were formed. They examined CCTV footage, tracing the source of the insecticide packet, and questioned workers for potential leads. Police first contacted the dealer of the insecticide packet using its batch number, then reached out to the sub-dealer.

The investigators discovered that the purchase had been made using Google Pay at a local shop in Surat, providing a digital transaction record. The payment was traced to a specific mobile number, which belonged to the accused. Following this evidence, authorities arrested him on Friday evening.

“The accused faced severe financial strain after borrowing around ₹10 lakh from a friend-- a debt he was unable to repay. He then considered suicide and purchased Celphos (aluminium phosphide), a highly poisonous substance, from a local shop. He intended to mix the poison into a glass of water and consume it. However, as people moved nearby, he panicked and threw the poison pouch into the water filter to conceal his action,” the commissioner said.

“The accused went to his seat and apparently realising that his action could be fatal for his colleagues, he started shouting and pretending that he drank the water and suspected that it was mixed with some poisonous chemical,” he added.

The Kapodara police have registered a case of attempt to murder under Section 109 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused.

Deputy commissioner of police Alok Kumar said police are investigating all possibilities to rule out any deeper or more sinister motives.

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