Crushed dreams, close escapes, and questions of survival after a power plant tragedy

For decades, Udhab Singh Yadav was a farmer. It was only last year that he started working at a power plant because it provided a “stable monthly income”, unlike agriculture that was seasonal and dependent on many variables.

But his new career — and his life — was cut short on Tuesday (April 14, 2026) when Yadav, 50, and at least 19 others were killed in an explosion at Vedanta’s Singhitarai power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district.