Archive · 30 Sep 2026
MRPL Management Booked After Blast Kills Contract Worker
A large explosion happened at an MRPL refinery near Katipalla.
It took place in a unit called the Coker Hydrotreater Unit.
One contract worker, Manish Karkada, died in the blast.
More than a dozen people were injured.
The explosion also damaged nearby homes.
Ravi Poojary, who worked for an on-site catering service, complained to the police.
Police then registered a criminal case against MRPL’s management and a unit head.
They are accused of failing to operate machinery safely.
The investigation concerns whether this negligence caused the death and injuries.
A blast at MRPL’s Coker Hydrotreater Unit killed 30-year-old contract worker Manish Karkada.
More than a dozen people were injured in the explosion near Katipalla.
The blast occurred around 12:15 PM on Wednesday in Phase-3 of the unit.
Shockwaves damaged homes in Jokatte and Kalavaru, breaking windows and cracking walls.
Surathkal Police filed FIR No. 132/2026 against MRPL management and the unit head for alleged negligence.
- Who
- MRPL management and the unit head were named as accused; contract worker Manish Karkada died, and Ravi Poojary filed the complaint.
- What
- A refinery blast killed one worker, injured more than a dozen people, and led to a criminal negligence case.
- When
- At approximately 12:15 PM on Wednesday; the case was registered as FIR No. 132/2026.
- Where
- The explosion occurred at the MRPL plant near Katipalla, in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit’s Phase-3 area.
- Why
- Police acted on a complaint alleging negligent conduct involving machinery and responsibility for the death and injuries.
Police and Complainant
Accused Management
Alleged negligence
Police and Complainant
Police, acting on Ravi Poojary’s complaint, allege that MRPL management and the unit head were culpably negligent in handling machinery, contributing to the death and injuries.
Accused Management
The article names MRPL management and the unit head as accused but does not provide their response or a defense.
- Company
- Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL)
- Incident
- Blast in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit, Phase-3
- Fatality
- Manish Karkada, 30, a contract worker from Mulky
- Injuries
- More than a dozen people were injured
- Time
- Approximately 12:15 PM on Wednesday
- Police action
- Surathkal Police registered FIR No. 132/2026
- Legal provisions
- Sections 287, 125(b), and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
- Property damage
- Homes in Jokatte and Kalavaru suffered shattered windows and cracked walls