AIADMK MP M Thambidurai has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking the intervention of central investigation agencies.
The Krishnagiri firecracker blast claimed nine lives and left 11 people injured. (Supplied)
The AIADMK has sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the explosion in a firecracker godown at Palayapettai in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, that occurred on 29 July. The blast resulted in the death of nine people.
AIADMK MP M Thambidurai has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking the intervention of central investigation agencies, like the CBI or NIA. He stated that the state government is handling the issue lethargically.
In the letter, Thambidurai pointed out that Minister R Sakkarapani, who inspected the site, had informed the media that the explosion happened due to an LPG cylinder blast at a hotel adjacent to the building.
“People in the locality suspect that highly-dangerous explosives were stored in the godown. The state government has been providing misleading information about the incident, which only shows that it is dealing with sensitive issues with a casual and careless attitude,” Thambidurai said in his letter.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Petroleum Hardeep Singh Puri, in Parliament, stated that no cylinder was issued to any facility in that specific area where the blast occurred and that the cracker factory was functioning in a residential area.
Interestingly, Rajeshwari, the daughter of the hotel owner who died in the blast, disputes the claim of the local police and the minister.
She reportedly told the officials, during the inquiry, that there were no burn injuries on the body of her mother and she also contested that if a gas cylinder did explode, there would have been a fire in the eatery building.
But there was no fire in the hotel. The building collapsed soon after the blast occurred in the next building.
South First also learnt that the intensity of the blast was felt as far as 1 km away, breaking the windows of houses in the vicinity.
Ravi, the owner of the firecracker unit, who also died in the blast, was licensed only to sell firecrackers. But the locals South First spoke to revealed that he has been manufacturing firecrackers for the past three years in the godown, which was the epicentre of the blast.
He was popularly known in the area as “Bomb” Ravi and he was selling “vedi”, a kind of firecracker that is used only during temple festivals.
Raja (name changed), a friend of Ravi, told South First that Ravi was experienced in handling explosive material that are used to manufacture firecrackers.
“He learnt the tricks of the trade while working in a firecracker unit in Sivakasi. Ravi also had contacts with explosive sellers, even in North India. He would produce any kind of ‘vedi’ with the exact proportion of explosives, within a short span of days,” he said.
Further, Raja said that Ravi’s son Rithesh, who also died in the explosion, had a few cases against him with the local police for selling contraband.
“It is unfortunate that Ravi’s whole family died in the blast,” he added.
An intelligence officer from the district, while speaking to South First, said that there are a few unanswered questions on the issue.
“Three buildings, including the firecracker godown, completely collapsed. It would require a lot of explosives to bring down these structures. Hence, the foremost question is how Ravi got his hands on these many explosive raw materials. We are now finding the source of his procurement and the materials have been sent for forensic analysis,” said the officer.
He further added, “The second question is about the epicentre of the explosion — whether it occurred at the hotel or at the firecracker unit. Forensic experts are trying to analyse it. Initially, it was said that it would be ruled an accident and could have occurred due to a short circuit.
“But the theory has not been confirmed by the Fire and Rescue Service Department. We are trying to narrow down the trigger point of the blast.”
South First, however, learnt that the local police had got a written statement from the owner of the building that was rented to the firecracker unit that the blast occurred only due to a gas cylinder explosion. Further, an FIR was registered under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Speaking to South First, AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said that there are several unanswered questions about the incident.
“No firecracker license can be given to a commercial operation in a residential locality. The license is given only for selling purposes. But the deceased had been manufacturing firecrackers, which means he has been involved with explosives. How did he get a license?” Sathyan questioned.
He added, “Further, none of the gas agencies, on record, deliver cylinders to that specific hotel. So, it is evident that whatever is stated by the ruling DMK government, in fact, is not true. Even today, the DMK does not accept the Coimbatore blast as an act of terrorism. They maintain that it was a gas cylinder blast.”
When asked whether the AIADMK suspects the involvement of terrorism in this incident, Sathyan said that it is for the investigative agencies to decide based on the inquiry.
“The Tamil Nadu police are trying to cover something up in the issue and that is the reason we seek a central investigative agency’s probe,” said Sathyan.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered an executive magistrate-level inquiry into the incident.
Special DRO (SIPCOT Land Acquisition) V Bhavanandi, the special executive magistrate, is investigating the issue and is speaking with the family of the deceased, eyewitnesses, and police officials.
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) took suo motu cognisance of the firecracker unit blast, based on news reports, and sought a report from the Krishnagiri Collector and SP within six weeks.
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