The owner of the private firecrackers manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, in which 25 people lost their lives while five others were injured has surrendered while four of his accomplices have been arrested, police said on Tuesday.
According to police, four special teams were formed to trace V Muthu Manickam, the owner of the Vanaja Fireworks following an explosion that occurred at the facility in Kattanarpatti village in Virudhunagar about 550km south of Chennai on April 19.
“Four persons have been arrested and the owner has surrendered to the Court.” a senior district police official told HT.
In one of the major tragic events in the district which is prone to such disasters due to the presence of explosive materials, 25 workers including were killed in the incident on April 19 sending tragic waves across the country.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, chief minsiter M K Stalin had offered condolences to the bereaved family members.
According to a senior district police officer, a case has been filed at the Vachakarapatti Police Station over the incident and currently under investigation, sources said.
{{/usCountry}}According to a senior district police officer, a case has been filed at the Vachakarapatti Police Station over the incident and currently under investigation, sources said.
{{/usCountry}}Four special teams were formed to trace the owner who was absconding, he said.
On Tuesday, he said 44-year-old V Muthu Manickam the owner of the factory had surrendered to judicial magistrate while four others were arrested. “All the four -- S Muthuraj, 42, T Vairamuthu 29, C Vetrivel, 28, MK Muthu Krishna Kumar, 33, were arrested and released on bail,” he said.
The owner has been taken to Virudhunagar Government Hospital for medical checkup, he added.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the unit holds a license from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur.
According to government authorities, though the firm had license to operate, some violations were recorded like accommodating 20 people instead of four in a room while engaging in the manufacturing of the firecrackers.
Virudhunagar district NO collector Sukhaputra said an investigation is ongoing to identify the cause of the incident. “After the probe we will know what happened. If there are any violations, we will take action against the owner,” he said.