Delhi police still clueless about cause of gas leak

New Delhi: More than six months after a chemical leak in a Tughlakabad container depot triggered noxious fumes, the Delhi police is still probing what caused the tear in the plastic containers which stored the chemicals.

The police have sent the plastic containers to the Central Institute  of Plastics Engineering and Technology, Chennai. “We have sent the exhibits to the Chennai institute to ascertain what triggered the crack in them. The exhibits were sent a month back and the report is likely to come in the next two months,” an officer privy to the probe said.

The chemical leak on May 6 from the Tughlakabad container depot had affected over 450 girl students, a few teachers and some residents. Earlier, the investigators were considering sending a formal request to a China-based firm to ascertain whether containers transported to India were packaged keeping in mind Delhi’s weather.

However, they have put it on hold since they were awaiting the report from the institute in Chennai. The officer said the import of the material was legaland they have to establish whose negligence was it that triggered the leak. “It is being probed whether there was some reaction between the chemical and the plastic container,” the officer added.