Chikkaballapura quarry blast: Five people held, two cops suspended
Bengaluru, Feb 24: Five people have been arrested in connection with the blast at a quarry in Chikkaballapura in which six people were killed, officials said.
Two police officials have also been suspended in connection with the case, they said.
Among those arrested are Raghavendra Reddy, one of the two partners of the quarry.
He was arrested from Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Others arrested are said to be employees linked to the quarry. They are- Venkatashiva Reddy, Praveen, Mohammed Riyaz Ansari (driver) and Madhusudan Reddy, police said.
G S Nagaraj, another partner of the quarry, is still on the run, and police are looking for him.
Gudibande police station circle inspector Manjunath and sub-inspector Gopal Reddy were kept under suspension pending inquiry, on charges of dereliction of duty, officials said.
According to senior officials, despite earlier complaints against owners of the company involved in quarrying for illegal blasting and storage of explosives, the police officials had failed to arrest them.
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 Tuesday.
The incident comes close on the heels of a similar blast at a quarry site in Shivamogga on January 22, which left six dead.
Chikkaballapura district incharge minister K Sudhakar said the owners had instructed the workers to shift the explosives to a remote place fearing action by authorities who were on a drive inspecting mining sites and quarries after the Shivamogga incident.
Besides, a case was already booked against them after a raid recently.
The unfortunate incident took place when the explosives were being shifted, the minister said.
During preliminary investigation, police came to know that the explosives were stored in a place about 1500 metres from the quarry and after the recent raid, the owners had instructed the workers to dispose it in the nearby forest, he said.
"As per the statement of the driver who had survived this blast and experts who inspected the spot, the workers had lit a campfire and disposed the explosives nearby which has led this incident," the minister added.
Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani said there was no question of shielding anyone involved in the case.
"The culprits will be punished as per the law.
Government will not tolerate illegal activities and the guilty must pay the price for playing with the lives of innocent people.We will take action based on the probe report," he 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.
