Boulder blown up for flat construction leaves 1 injured

In an alleged case of illegal blasting at Muddayyanapalya near Tavarakere in Ramanagar district, an employee of an orphans home was injured after being hit by a blast projectile.

According to an FIR filed at the Tavarakere police station, Naveen B, 28, was rushed to hospital after the roof of one of the rooms of Sri Siddeshwaraswami Ashram came crashing down as rocks from the blasting site hit the roof on Wednesday morning.

Though one Naganna was also in the room when the incident occurred around 11 am, he escaped with minor injuries.

Following the incident, police registered an FIR against the private company involved in construction and the blasting contractor based on the complaint filed by Naveen, and are investigating further.

Locals have alleged that a private company was blasting rock at an old quarry site to clear land for a government housing project.

"They are blasting even during the day for the past eight months," Pushpavathy, manager of the ashram said, adding that there are 20 children at the ashram located just a stone's throw from the construction site.

According to police sources, the incident occurred at one of the housing project sites of Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited. Excavating earth for the construction of an apartment complex, the contractors had reportedly used dynamite to blast a boulder.

According to Naveen, “Soon after the blast, a part of the boulder fell on our office crashing through the roof. I was hit on the head and sustained severe injuries. I was rushed to a nearby hospital by other staffers.” Naveen is still undergoing treatment.

Residents allege that the contractor, despite their complaints that the work was damaging their houses, continued with the blasting. The explosion has damaged a shed at the ashram, besides causing cracks on the walls of houses in the neighbourhood.