Shivamogga mine blast: Explosives may have landed from Andhra Pradesh, says minister

SHIVAMOGGA: The initial information into the Hunasodu blast has pointed out that the huge cache of explosive substances, which detonated on Thursday night, were brought from Andhra Pradesh. However, it is unclear how the explosives laden lorry entered Karnataka and reached all the way to Shivamogga. The police have launched an investigation in this regard.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that the explosives, as per the initial information, were brought from Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, the police also said that of the six people who died in the blast, three were hailing from Rayadurg in Ananthapuram district of Andhra Pradesh.

Ashoka told reporters in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday that at present the suspicion is the explosives were brought from Andhra Pradesh as such explosives are not available in the state. "The investigation will have to reveal how such explosives are brought and who supplies them. These explosives were meant for quarrying. But what if it was used for another purpose. It would have caused a huge disaster," he said.

As the question about how the explosives were brought to Shivamogga has been raised, Ashoka said the government will tighten vigil at checkposts. "The government will also make rules with regard to transportation and storing of explosives more effective. I will speak to the mines and geology minister and officials concerned in this regard. I will also hold a meeting of the disaster management wing of the Revenue Department to prevent such incidents in the future," he said.

When asked about how the explosives loaded lorry entered Karnataka, and Shivamogga district in particular, IG (Eastern Range) S Ravi told The New Indian Express that investigation is on in this regard. He refused to divulge more information as the investigation is in progress.

Meanwhile, Shivamogga police issued a statement for the first time since the incident. However, the press note contained only information of the deceased. Of the six people died, the identity of five people has been established and the bodies were handed over to the kin of the deceased.

The deceased were Pawan Kumar (29), Javeed (28) and Chelimanu Raju (24), all from Rayadurg, Praveen (36) and Manjunath (35), the residents of Antaragange village in Bhadravathi. The identity of one more body is yet to be established.