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Kadapa blast: Quarry owner, aide arrested from bus stand
Two days after an explosion at a limestone mine in Kadapa district claimed 10 lives, police arrested C Nageshwar Reddy, owner of the quarry and E Raghunath Reddy, the supplier of explosive materials, from a bus stand on Monday
Two days after an explosion at a limestone mine in Kadapa district claimed 10 lives, police arrested C Nageshwar Reddy, owner of the quarry and E Raghunath Reddy, the supplier of explosive materials, from a bus stand on Monday.
Briefing reporters on the same, district superintendent of police (SP) K K N Anburajan said the accused were allegedly trying to escape when they were arrested from the bus stand in Amagampalle village. “We shall take some more persons suspected to be involved in the procurement of detonators,” the SP said.
The explosion took place when the labourers were trying to unload the detonators from a car brought from Pulivendula to Konda Gangamma Thalli limestone quarry at Mamillapalle village of Kalasapadu block on Saturday morning. Manager of the mine Lakshmi Reddy and driver of the vehicle Korivi Prasad were among the 10 labourers who died on the spot.
Anburajan said investigations revealed that there were more than 1,000 detonators in the vehicle at the time of the explosion. “The quarry owner had no permission to possess or transport the explosives and had also gone in for excavation of mineral more than the permitted quantity,” he said.
Nageshwar Reddy, who belongs to Chenchaiahgaripalle village, holds the general power of attorney for the quarry, which was originally leased out to C Kasturi Bai, wife of C Ramachandraiah, legislative council member of YSR Congress party 10 years ago. The lease will expire in November this year.
“Raghunath Reddy, who belongs to Pulivendula town, has been supplying the explosive material to Nageshwar Reddy illegally, for using them in exploration of mineral in the quarry,” the SP said.
The accused were booked by Kalasapadu police under section 304 (2) of Indian Penal Code, besides sections 3, 5 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act.
Preliminary investigations, the SP said, revealed that the accused was using explosive material without permission and undertaking mining activities without environmental clearance. “A multi-departmental probe has been ordered into the incident,” he said.
He added that the original lease holder would also be served notices for appearing before the inquiry committee. “We shall take stringent action against all those who responsible for the explosion,” Anburajan said.
