• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Bengaluru News: The Bengaluru Rural district administration has banned the use of firecrackers and explosive materials at religious, political and public events following a accident during a Ganesha immersion procession that killed a 15-year-old boy and injured nine others.

The Hindu report cited Deputy Commissioner A. B. Basavaraju on Saturday, stating that the ban will apply to all installation and immersion processions, public gatherings, and functions across the district. The move comes a day after the fatal mishap in Muttur village during a Ganesha idol immersion, where crackers kept near a forklift silencer suddenly ignited and exploded into the crowd.

ALSO READ: Bengaluru: BMTC Conductor Slaps Passenger After Ticket Dispute, Incident Caught On Camera | WATCH

Police have arrested four members of the organising committee of the pandal where the incident occurred. The accused, Chandra Kumar (45), Maruthi (19), Kishore (25) and Manjunath (38), have been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, Bengaluru district Superintendent of Police C. K. Baba confirmed.

The explosion claimed the life of 15-year-old Dhanush alias Muni after a rocket struck him in the chest. Nine others sustained injuries, including two children aged 13 and 16, forklift driver Muniraju (27), local resident Nagaraj (35) and police constable Zakir Hussain, who was on duty managing the crowd. All the injured are reported to be out of danger.

ALSO READ: Bengaluru To Kerala Travel: Railways Adds Special Train, KSRTC To Run 90 Extra Buses For Onam | Details

Investigators are examining whether sparks from the forklift silencer or heat triggered the explosion. Officials said the entire cracker box went up in flames in seconds, causing chaos in the procession.

In separate news, Bengaluru police have arrested 31-year-old Syed Mubarak, also known as Mubbi, a suspected habitual drug peddler from Chamrajpet and remanded him to Bengaluru Central Prison for one year under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act. Mubarak has a long criminal record, with six previous arrests in drug trafficking cases involving about 1,500 kg of ganja since 2018. He also faces charges in an attempted murder case. Reports indicate he had been evading arrest for some time, prompting courts to issue non-bailable warrants against him. Police continue to investigate his network.