Balco manager missing after Korba mishap: Police

The police at Korba, the site of Bharat Aluminium’s ill-fated project where a chimney crash last month killed 41 workers, are hunting for Viral Mehta, the man in charge at the time.

Mehta, assistant general manager, was in charge of Balco’s new power project at Korba, 230 km from here, where the chimney was being built. He has been missing since the mishap of September 23. He is supposed to have been in overall charge of the construction which came down.

Sources said a Korba court had rejected Mehta’s petition on October 15 for anticipatory bail against arrest. “The police are in search of Mehta and he is missing after the mishap,” Korba’s district police head, Ratanlal Dangi, told Business Standard.

A police party was sent to Mehta’s native place in Gujarat, but could not get information on where he was, Dangi added. But, Balco officials say Mehta is in contact. “The official (Viral Mehta) is not missing, but may not be in Korba, as he has been touring on official assignments,” said Balco’s chief of corporate communications, B K Sriwastwa.