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India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Shivamogga (Karnataka), January 22: Two bodies were recovered so far on Friday after a dynamite blast at a railway crusher site in Karnataka’s Hunasodu village of Shivamogga district. The vehicle was badly mangled and the bodies of the victims were dismembered beyond recognition.
Two people have been detained and a high-level investigation ordered into the explosion in Shivamogga district. The detained included a contractor of a stone crushing facility where the blast occured when a truckload of gelatin sticks went off, police added.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday ordered a high-level probe into the cause of the blast following the incident.
Taking to Twitter, he said that strict action against the guilty will be taken.
“I express my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. The injured are being treated and I wish them a speedy recovery,” Yediyurappa said.
He also informed that teams have been sent immediately for the necessary rescue operation. I am in contact with the senior officials since last night, he said.
8 dead in dynamite blast at railway crusher site in Shivamogga
According to the District Collector, KB Shivakumar, Police has started the investigation and bomb squad from Bengaluru & another team from Mangaluru will be reaching the spot to zero in on the reason that why did the incident take place.
”It was initially observed that there were explosives in a vehicle parked here. It’s being probed that why were they brought here. Till now we recovered 2 bodies. It’s being circulated in public that 10-15 died. But it’s not substantiated by any facts,” Shivamogga District Collector.
”Police has started the investigation, they have made a little progress. We’ve also sought the help of bomb detection squads so that they can come here & help us technically to zero in on the reason that why did the incident take place,” he added.
He further said,”As per our preliminary information, since the incident occurred at night there was no worker working here. So, all the people who worked here regularly are safe. We have confirmed it. We are trying to trace the people who were accompanying the vehicle.”
Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra also visited the spot.
”A loud sound was heard which was accompanied by vibration near Hunasodu village in Shivamogga dist. There was an explosion due to dynamite or explosive material, investigation is on. Bomb Squad is coming from Bengaluru & another team from Mangaluru,” BY Raghavendra, Shivamogga MP said.
He said,”40-50 crushers are operational in this area. They had taken license from district administrator. Investigation is going on. Not only Railways, but they were also supplying (material) to all development works like residential purposes, public work.”
KS Eshwarappa, Karnataka Minister on an explosion in Shivamogga said,”This had never happened before in Shivamogga. We are witnessing this for the first time here. Experts are coming from Bengaluru, they will give a report after which we will take action.”
The incident took place in Abbalagere village located along the Shivamogga-Hanagal state highway, which passes through Savalunga and Shikaripura. Shikaripura, which is nearly 290 km from Bengaluru, is the home constituency of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
The massive explosion took place near a gravel and boulder crushing facility around 10:30 pm on Thursday, sending shockwaves not only in Shivamogga but also in neighbouring Chikkamagaluru and Davangere districts.
The sound of the blast, which was initially thought to be an earthquake, was heard in neighbouring Davangere, Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada districts.
In Shivamogga, the effect was severe as some houses developed cracks, roof tiles and window panes shattered into pieces.
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