Cylinder explosion: Ranam movie producer arrested

The producer of Kannada film ‘Ranam’ was arrested on Thursday night over the death of a mother and daughter during the shooting of the movie.

The Bagalur police said the producer of the movie and also the prime accused in the case Srinivas R alias Kanakapura Srinivas was arrested from the lodge on JC Road.

Srinivas, a resident of Kempegowda Nagar in Chamarajpet, is a silk merchant and also produces movies. Soon after the incident, he fled to Tamil Nadu. After interrogation, he was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class court in Devanahalli and was remanded in judicial custody.

During the interrogation, Srinivas told police that he was not at the spot when a cylinder exploded and had no idea as to what went wrong.

Changing SIM cards

The police said Srinivas was changing his SIM card every day, making it difficult for them to trace him.

On Thursday evening, he had come to the city, and as he was aware that police were looking out for him, he booked the lodge on JC Road instead of going home.

Soon after we got a tip-off, he was arrested from the lodge, the police added.

Sumera Banu (28) and her daughter Ayera Banu (5) were killed on the sets of the movie when the gas cylinder exploded at KIADB Industrial Area in Bagalur.

On April 1, stunt director Subhash (55) was arrested after the police learnt that he was actually involved in the execution of the particular stunt that led to the tragic deaths.

“Subhash was was responsible for the execution of that particular stunt scene. He had assembled the multiple compressor cannons under the SUV for the scene,” said Kala Krishnamurthy, DCP, Northeast.

However, the police are yet to arrest movie director V Samudra and stunt manager Vijayan.

They suspect Samudra to be in Andhra Pradesh and Vijayan in Tamil Nadu.