Two arrested in illegal stone quarry raid in Odisha

BERHAMPUR: Explosives were seized and two persons arrested on Tuesday in connection with illegal quarrying near a school under Aska police limits. An explosion had left two schoolchildren injured in the upgraded UP school in Magura village under Aska police limits on Saturday.
 
In a joint raid by police and revenue officials on stone quarries in and around the village, 250 kg of gelatin and 350 detonators were seized from the quarry near the school. Apparently, the school is located just 500 metres away from the stone quarry. There are 55 hills under Aska tehsil where stone quarrying is carried out.

Police arrested Dwitikrushna Panda and Prakash Reddy who were entrusted with blasting the stone quarry. They informed police that they had procured the explosives from Chitrasen Jena of Jakar village. Subsequently, police raided Jena’s house and also seized 350 kg of ammonium nitrate.

However, Jena managed to escape before police arrived. 

The schoolchildren, Raja Nayak of Class VIII and Chandan Swain of Class VII, were critically injured while trying to detonate an explosive by using the battery of a mobile phone on school premises.

The boys had reportedly collected the explosive from the stone quarry close to the school. While a part of Raja’s left palm was severed in the explosion, Chandan sustained deep wounds on his face. They are undergoing treatment in MKCG Medical College and Hospital.

Chandan is still in central ICU and Raja has been shifted to Orthopaedic ward.

The incident occurred on eastern side of the playground when students were having their mid-day meal. During lunch break, they went to the playground and out of curiosity, fixed wire to the explosive and connected it with a mobile battery leading to its detonation.

As both Chandan and Raja need plastic surgery and continuous treatment, their parents have urged the district administration to financially help them.

After Magura explosion, many persons involved in stone quarrying have gone underground to evade police arrest. Aska tehsil office has cancelled the lease of stone quarries at Magura and Venketraipalli.

Meanwhile, raids were also conducted on stone quarries at Sumantapalli, Gunthapada and Raipalli. Officials seized a compressor and excavator engaged illegally for quarrying. Three persons have been detained for interrogation.