Kerala: Blast at fireworks unit rips through paddy field, leaving death, devastation
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): Scenes from a powerful explosion at a fireworks unit in Mundathicode were heartbreaking, as rescuers—mostly residents—described how the blast tore through a quiet paddy field, killing at least 12 people, injuring several others, and leaving widespread destruction.
Columns of thick black smoke rose high into the sky from a cluster of temporary sheds erected in the middle of the field, where firecrackers were being prepared for a local annual festival known for its spectacular fireworks and percussion ensembles.
A routine workday quickly descended into chaos at around 3.30 pm.
Firefighters and rescue personnel who rushed to the isolated site were forced to stop midway as intermittent explosions continued, sending shockwaves across the area.
Unable to approach, they sprayed water from a distance, waiting for the blasts to subside before moving in.
Television visuals and eyewitness accounts painted a grim picture—residents, among the first to reach the spot, were seen carrying the injured across uneven, slushy terrain and collecting scattered human remains.
“Parts of bodies were lying scattered. We helped gather them and send them to hospitals,” said a local man, his voice trembling.
Officials said around 40 workers were believed to have been present at the unit at the time of the explosion, many of whom suffered burn injuries, several of them critical.
The injured were rushed to hospitals, mainly the Government Medical College, Thrissur, as ambulances shuttled between the remote site and medical facilities.
Wilson, one of the surviving workers, recalled the terrifying moment.
“There was a sudden flash beside me and then fire… after that, I don’t remember anything,” he said. He maintained that all workers at the unit were Malayalees and that no migrant labourers were employed.
According to him, the unit had been operating in compliance with safety norms.
“There was nothing illegal. Maybe the extreme heat or direct sunlight on the gunpowder triggered the fire,” he said.
Residents said the fireworks unit had functioned in the area for years without incident, making the scale of Tuesday’s tragedy even more shocking. The sound of the explosion was heard kilometres away, and some nearby houses reportedly suffered damage.
Even hours after the initial blast, occasional explosions and the risk of igniting stored firecrackers continued to hamper rescue operations, with fire and police personnel proceeding cautiously through the debris.
As smoke slowly cleared over the once tranquil fields, festive anticipation surrounding the Pooram gave way to grief, with families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones and authorities struggling to ascertain the exact toll in what is among the worst such accidents in the region in recent times.
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
