Seven Odisha workers dead in Tamil Nadu ammonia leak

Seven workers from Odisha have died following a toxic ammonia leak at a seafood processing plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district. The tragedy, which occurred on June 21 at a facility in Kannigaiper village, has prompted the Odisha government to deploy a high-level team to coordinate relief efforts and repatriation.

Editorial·June 23, 2026·reads: 3,273

Seven Odisha workers dead in Tamil Nadu ammonia leak

Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg confirmed the rising death toll on Monday, noting that she remains in direct contact with Tamil Nadu authorities to facilitate hospital care for the injured and the return of the deceased. The state government has also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for each of the victims' families. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his condolences, emphasizing the severity of the loss for the migrant workforce.

Preliminary reports indicate the leak originated from a faulty valve during routine operations at the plant. While emergency teams continue to manage the aftermath, officials stated that 74 employees were exposed to the gas. Investigators are currently examining the maintenance records of the facility to determine how the equipment failure resulted in such a high casualty count.