Shivamogga admin clueless on huge quantity of explosives

A day after the massive blast at a quarry site on the outskirts of the city that killed five workers, the district administration on Friday was clueless about why and from where such a huge quantity of explosives was brought.

Deputy Commissioner K B Shivakumar told DH, "Licence was issued to the quarry operators for M-sand and crushed stones. But it is not clear why and from where did they procure such a huge quantum of explosives without any permit. The operators have not obtained a licence to use explosives. I have directed the police to investigate illegal procurement of explosives."

The police have detained land owner Avinash Kulkarni and crush operators Narasimha and Sudhakar for questioning.

Five workers were killed on the spot after the dynamites and gelatin sticks in a lorry parked at the crusher unit at Hunasodu, 8 km from the city, went off late on Thursday night.

Though initial reports suggested that six workers were killed, the number of deaths is five. The badly mutilated bodies had been recovered and sent for post-mortem at McGann Hospital in Shivamogga, the deputy commissioner said.

Four bodies identified

The police have identified the dead: Praveen and Manjunath, both from Bhadravathi taluk, Pavan and Javed from Rayadurga in Andhra Pradesh. But the identity of the fifth victim, said to be from Bihar, is not known yet.

The bodies were recovered after the bomb disposal squad and forensic experts from Bengaluru and Mangaluru made sure there was no live explosive at the site.

According to the preliminary police investigation, the incident took place around 10.25 pm. The truck, in which explosives were stored, was blown into pieces. The remains of the trucks were spotted at a distance of one to two km from the blast site.

'High-level probe'

Meanwhile, Mines & Geology Minister Murugesh R Nirani, who visited the blast site on Friday, said a high-level committee would be constituted to probe into the incident, after holding discussion with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

The committee will probe all angles to determine the legality of quarrying, why was such a huge quantum of explosives procured and whether the operators had licence for the same, the minister said adding that stringent legal action will be initiated against those who are involved in illegal quarrying/mining.

In fact, more than 100 stone crusher units have been operating for the past several years in villages - Hunasodu, Kalluganguru, Gejjenahalli and Devakyathikoppa of Shivamogga taluk. Several of them are unauthorised units and thriving with the support of politicians, locals alleged.