Debris of an explosive storage unit that was razed to ground following a blast near Kariyapatti in Virudhunagar district on May 1, 2024 | Photo Credit: R. Ashok
Virudhunagar district police have blamed negligent handling of explosives by the workers at the explosive storage unit in Kariyapatti for the blast that claimed three lives on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
The first information report registered by Aviyoor police revealed that the three workers were not given any safety gears. Similarly, no proper supervision was done even as the explosives were being handled at the storage unit.
The FIR underscored that two vans carrying different materials used for blasting rocks were parked closer to each other, violating the safety norms. The van carrying electric detonators and another van containing nitrate mixture were parked in closer proximity. “Despite being aware that keeping these materials closer to each other while loading and unloading could result in accident leading to loss of life, the negligent handling led to the fatal accident,” the FIR said.
Based on the complaint the village administrative officer of D. Kadamankulam, the Aviyoor police have booked the case under Sections 286 (negligent handling of explosives endangering human life) and 304 (2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Indian Penal Code and under the provisions of Indian Explosives Act.
Two out of the four partners who were running the stone quarry and the nearby explosive storage unit have been arrested in connection with the accident.
Superintendent of Police, K. Feroze Khan Abdullah said that both the stone quarry and the explosives storage unit had valid license till 2027.
Meanwhile, the bodies of all the three workers, A. Kandasamy (49), S. Periyadurai (27) and R. Gurusamy (55) were handed over to the families after post-mortem at Virudhunagar Government Medical College hospital, on Thursday.
The operators of the quarry and explosive godown have handed over ₹50,000 cash and cheques of ₹11.5 lakh to legal heirs of each of the three deceased workers, the police said.
