The Gomangalam police in Coimbatore rural arrested three persons, including the owner of a quarry, on charge of stocking 1,308 gelatin sticks without proper safety measures.
The arrested were identified as K. Ponnusamy (50), who owns a stone quarry at Nattukalpalayam, near Gomangalam, K. Vijayababu (40), a farmer, and R. Kanagaraj (60), the supervisor of the quarry.
According to the police, Ponnusamy used to source gelatin sticks for his quarry in Udumalpet. Though the explosive material was supposed to be stored with proper safety arrangements in a safe place, Ponnusamy stored them in a building in a farm belonging to Vijayababu, the police said.
The building was inspected by a police team led by Gomangalam inspector R. Murugan on Saturday based on specific information. The police found that the gelatin sticks were stored without proper safety arrangements.
According to the police, the three men were arrested for negligent handling of the explosive substance and they were remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.
