Goregaon East Workshop Raided for Illegal Acid Storage, Owner Booked

Vanrai Police raided a steel plate polishing workshop at Cama Estate in Goregaon East on October 6 and registered a case against the owner for storing 80 litres of acid in hazardous conditions without a municipal licence.

The enforcement action follows the recent deaths of two youths in a public toilet in Goregaon East, which occurred due to the alleged disposal of toxic chemicals by an electroplating unit in the area. In the wake of those fatalities, police have cracked down on units handling chemicals unlawfully in the suburb. Acting on specific information regarding an unlicensed facility, a police team searched the premises of SS Enterprises.

Upon entering the workshop, officers found that the business was operating entirely out of a cramped 10 feet by 20 feet room. Inside the small unit, investigators observed three tanks where workers carried out the polishing and shining of steel plates using an acid mixture.

During the search, the police team discovered two 40-litre plastic cans filled with acid. Officers noted that a strong odour and steam were emanating from the containers, which were kept in an unsafe manner. The facility was completely devoid of mandatory safety equipment required for the safe handling and storage of corrosive acids.

Police confirmed that the workshop was being run without the mandatory permissions and licences from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Following the inspection, an FIR was registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act. The owner of the workshop, identified as 27-year-old Nitin Singh, is being questioned by the police.