BENGALURU: Alarmed by Thursday’s blast outside an alleged illegal cracker godown in New Tharagupet, Chamarajpet that claimed two lives, police on Friday raided several godowns stocking hazardous material in the neighbourhood and seized more than 16 cooking gas cylinders weighing 40kg each stored illegally.
The raided godowns are located near the one (Patrakali Amman Lorry Services) where the cracker explosion happened. Its proprietor Ganesh Babu has already been arrested. Four men had sustained injuries in the blast.
The LPG cylinders were seized from the godown of a coffee-trading firm. “We will continue raiding godowns in and around Chamarajpet, Goods Shed Road, KR Market and surrounding areas. As Deepavali is fast approaching, chances of illegal storing of crackers are more,” a senior officer said. Also, police inspected godowns in New Tharagupet storing crackers and supplying them to retailers in the city.
Ganapati, 50, one of those injured in the blast, made a statement before cops at Victoria Hospital that he was working inside the godown when he heard a loud noise followed by fire and thick smoke.
“I have been working as a push-cart labourer in and around Avenue Road for the past 30 years. A shopowner named Kannan from Avenue Road sent me to this godown to bring boxes of crackers. Accordingly, I went there around 11.30am. Ten boxes were kept in Kannan’s name inside the godown. I was getting ready to shift them to my push cart when I heard the noise, followed by flames,” police sources quoted Ganapati as saying.
“Three more workers, who were near the entrance, fell inside the godown and began screaming because of burn injuries. I realised that I too had suffered burns. For some time, we sat inside the godown and ran out as soon as the smoke cleared,” Ganapati told police.
