Guwahati : Police have arrested five people, including the owner of a rod manufacturing factory, in connection with the explosion that killed four workers at an industrial unit in Assam’s Cachar district, officials said on Monday.

The arrests come a day after the fatal blast at the factory’s Pangram unit under the Udharband Assembly constituency, where an explosion inside the plant claimed four lives and left several others injured.

Officials said the action followed directions from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to expedite the investigation and identify those responsible for the tragedy.

Among those arrested is factory owner Rakesh Kumar Surana, while the remaining four are associated with the factory’s management and day-to-day operations. Police have registered a criminal case, and further investigation is underway.

A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has examined the blast site and collected evidence to determine the exact cause of the explosion and reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident.

According to preliminary findings, the explosion occurred at around 11 a.m. on Sunday when molten metal is believed to have exploded inside the factory’s processing unit.

The impact of the blast was so powerful that it was heard across the surrounding area, with local residents reporting extensive damage within the industrial premises.

The four workers killed in the incident have been identified as Appu Boraik, Kiron Munda, Shyamal Gaur and Sagar Nath, a resident of Agartala in neighbouring Tripura.

The victims were taken to Silchar Medical College and Hospital, where they were declared dead before post-mortem examinations were conducted.

Police, Fire and Emergency Services personnel and other rescue teams rushed to the site soon after the explosion. Several injured workers were rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals. While some required further medical treatment, others were discharged after receiving first aid for minor injuries.

The Assam government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of each of the deceased workers. The financial assistance was handed over by Udharband MLA Rajdeep Goala and Cachar Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Gupta, who also assured the bereaved families of continued government support.

In addition to the police investigation, the state government has ordered multiple inquiries into the incident. A magisterial inquiry and a separate investigation by the Labour Department have been initiated to ascertain the cause of the blast and examine whether the factory complied with mandatory industrial safety regulations.

The district administration has also sought detailed information from the factory management regarding the safety protocols and operational procedures followed at the unit.

Meanwhile, local residents have alleged that minor explosions had occurred at the factory on previous occasions but were never officially reported. Family members of one of the deceased workers further claimed that the factory management initially attempted to downplay the severity of Sunday’s explosion.

Police said all such allegations would be thoroughly investigated and warned that stringent legal action would be taken if evidence of negligence, safety violations or regulatory lapses is established. The incident has renewed concerns over industrial safety standards in Assam, with labour rights advocates and local residents calling for stricter enforcement of workplace safety regulations, regular inspections and greater accountability to prevent similar tragedies in the future.