Tamil Nadu Seafood Unit Ammonia Leak: Death Toll Reaches Five, Two Arrested
Three additional deaths were reported by Monday morning, June 22, 2026, raising the death toll to five following an ammonia gas leak at a shrimp processing unit in Tiruvallur district. The incident occurred on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at a facility in Periyapalayam.
According to a media bulletin from the Tamil Nadu Health Department, 67 individuals remain hospitalized for treatment. The deceased include two migrant workers from Odisha—Jumani Juang and B. Malothi—who were killed on Sunday. The other three victims have not yet been identified.
Police have arrested the proprietor of the company and the factory manager, both of whom have a pending case for previous violations of industrial safety norms. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the incident. The committee comprises the Director of Industrial Safety and Health, the Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and the Additional Director of Public Health. It has been directed to submit an interim report within 24 hours and a final report within three days.
To prevent future accidents, the state government has mandated immediate joint inspections of all hazardous industries. Chief Minister Vijay also announced a solatium of ₹2 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund for the families of the two deceased workers from Odisha. The state government will bear the cost of transporting their bodies to their home state for last rites.
