BJP leader G S Nagaraja, key accused in Chikkaballapura quarry blast arrested
Bengaluru, Feb 26: G S Nagaraja, one of the partners of the quarry and the prime accused in the Chikkaballapura quarry blast case has been arrested, police said.
Nagaraja, also a local BJP leader from Gudibande, who had been absconding since the blast was held on Thursday, police sources said.
Police have also picked up another person named Ganesh, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is said to be the person who regularly carried out blasting for the crusher unit, for investigation.
Six people were killed when the gelatin sticks they were trying to hide exploded accidentally at a stone quarry site at a village in Chikkaballapura district, early on Tuesday.
The incident was close on the heels of a similar blast at a quarry site in Shivamogga on January 22, which left six dead.
Police on Wednesday had announced the arrest of other three partners of the quarry-Raghavendra Reddy, Venkatashiva Reddy, Madhusudan Reddy- and employees Praveen and Mohammed Riyaz Ansari (driver), in connection with the case.
Gudibande Police Station Circle Inspector Manjunath and Sub-Inspector Gopal Reddy have been kept under suspension pending enquiry, on charges of dereliction of duty.
Police had raided the quarry and crusher unit on February 7 for illegally procuring and storing explosives, but had failed to do a thorough follow-up, and arrest the accused in the case, which if done could have prevented the explosion, officials said.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
