Shivamogga police nabbed four persons in connection with blast incident that claimed the lives of six in stone crusher unit at Hunasodu village near Shivamogga.
Speaking to media persons, here on Monday evening, Eastern Range IGP S Ravi said B V Sudhakar (57), who had taken the land for lease to operate stone crusher unit, Narasimha (39), supervisor, Mumtaz Ahmed (50), manager and residents of Shivamogga and Rasheed (44) worker in the unit and resident of Bhadravathi, have been arrested. Two vehicles were burnt in the incident.
He said Praveen who died in the incident, was the main agent and he was indulged in illegal trade of explosives. He was bringing them in lorries from Andhra Pradesh and was distributing the same to owners of stone quarries and crusher units. The incident took place when gellatin sticks and electrical detonators were being loading to another vehicle on January 21st night.
He said police are still investigating to find out to where the explosives were being transported from the blast site. He also made it clear that the land owner Avinash Kulkarni was not nabbed.
He said police have raided illegal stone quarries in the district and registered 21 cases in the last three years.
Meanwhile, parents of the three villagers from Antaragange camp in Bhadravathi taluk who had gone with the blast victims, lodged complaint with Hosamane police station. Shashi, Nagaraj, and Punith had gone with the blast victim on that day. But they have not returned home yet.
(Published 25 January 2021, 16:14 IST)
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