Blast in school: Probe points at BWSSB workers

Initial investigation into the detonator blast in a school in the City has pointed fingers at the workers executing drainage work by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

The Madivala police have launched a manhunt to track those who threw detonators inside the compound of Sai Baba Higher Primary School in Rupena Agrahara which led to an accidental blast leaving three students injured.

“We suspect that construction labourers, working for the BWSSB drainage project, threw the detonators inside the school. We will question them and if they are found guilty, they as well as the contractor will be booked,” said Madivala sub-division ACP T Venkatesh.

A team of around 15 labourers working for the last few days came across a big stone while digging the ground. They used detonators to blast the stone so that the pipe could be laid.

Some workers allegedly carried a few detonators in their pockets and threw them inside the school campus, the police said.The police also suspect that they might have carried the detonators to sell for higher prices. They might also have carried them unintentionally. However, the probe would reveal their objective, the police added. The police also suspect other construction workers employed at different construction sites in the area.

A large number of buildings are coming up in the area. Detonators are used at a few sites. Some of the construction workers might have stolen the detonators from the construction site to sell them for higher price. “We will analyse CCTV footage in the locality and take suitable action,” said source a senior police officer.

Three class IV students were injured when they plugged in a detonator found in a pile of garbage near the school on Friday afternoon. The incident led to chaos for some time as the incident was presumed to be a terror attack.