Palghar, Maharashtra: A 30-year-old worker lost his life in a freak accident at the Viraj Profiles facility in Boisar MIDC on Monday, raising fresh concerns about industrial safety standards in the region.
The deceased, Mujahid Shaikh, was inflating a truck tyre when it suddenly exploded. The violent burst caused the wheel’s heavy iron ring to dislodge and strike him on the head. Shaikh died instantly from the severe impact.
His body was taken to Boisar Rural Hospital, where tensions mounted after company officials failed to arrive. Relatives of the deceased staged a protest, refusing to accept the body until a senior representative from Viraj Profiles appeared. “No management official has even bothered to stand with us in this hour of grief,” a family member alleged.
The absence of the company at such a critical moment has fueled resentment among locals, who say the tragedy reflects a wider pattern of neglect in the industrial belt. Labour organisations also accused the management of ignoring safety protocols. “This is not an isolated incident. Workers are paying with their lives because safety takes a backseat to production,” one union leader said.
Frequent mishaps in Boisar’s MIDC zone have put authorities under pressure to tighten monitoring. For the families of workers like Shaikh, however, the demand is simple: accountability and the assurance that such accidents do not continue unchecked.
