The police have arrested seven officials of the Reliance Industries-owned IPCL in connection with the blast at the Nagothane plant yesterday that claimed three lives and left 49 injured.

Police have also registered criminal cases under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the seven officials, including RIL-Nagothane's president S R Yadwadkar.

Others include vice-president (technical), plant manager, plant superviser, safety superviser, and owner and supervisor of CN Enterprises, the contractor company engaged by IPCL for the maintenance work.

The accident occurred at 1120 am on Friday when the hydrocarbon and welding gas came into contact in the LLDPE plant which was under maintenance. A fire broke which sparked-off the explosion.