 "Kollam temple fire: Kerala Police detains five people")
The Kerala Police has detained five people in connection with the fire tragedy at Kollam in Kerala, which claimed 108 lives.
“Five workers have been detained for questioning,” Kollam Police Chief P Prakash told reporters adding that “these are not formal arrests. Once they are questioned, only then we will know their involvement and take further steps.”
The detainees include five workers associated with the contractor of the fireworks, which was displayed at Puttingal Devi temple complex, the Police said. They were questioned about an unauthorised fireworks display that sparked the explosion.
Meanwhile, the Kollam District Collector Shinamol blamed the lapse on the part of the Police for the accident to have happened.
“The report submitted by the Police on April 6 had made it clear that permission should not be given to hold fireworks display due to space constraint. Hence, I denied permission for the fireworks display. However, the police submitted another report within two days saying that there is nothing wrong in granting permission for the fireworks display. As I did not know how things changed within two days, I stuck to my stand and did not give permission for the fireworks display. I have asked the Police for an explanation on how they changed the report,” the collector was quoted by Kerala's leading newspaper Mathrubhumi.
The death toll raised to 108 today after one person died at KIMS hospital at Thiruvananthapuram and another at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital.
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Police said a case has been registered against temple authorities and explosive licensees under Section 307 (Attempt to murder), and 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC and under section 4 of Explosives Substances Act.
Raids have been conducted at various places in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, police said.
The accident occurred at around 3.30 AM as the crackers and explosives kept in a storage house was set ablaze by a restricted firework display started in the midnight.
The firework display, which is a competition between people from two areas in the region, was conducted violating the orders of the district authorities against conducting any such fireworks in the temple. The neighbours had earlier complained the authorities about the competition. It was also alleged that the other guidelines for conducting firework display, which is common in various temples and churches in the State, has been flouted here, which increased the magnitude of the blast.
According to locals, the fire broke out from one of the live cracker fell into the stored crackers and a vehicle in which the crackers were transported; causing the heavy explosion which had its effect in one and half kilometres from the spot, say reports. A person who was riding motorcycle almost a kilometre away from the temple was killed by concrete debris from the blast hitting his head, it said. The concrete debris of the storage house and neighbouring buildings has resulted in more death. Rs 8.40 lakh worth of crackers were ordered, it said.
The fireworks started at around 12 AM and continued to 3.30 AM, which means a large portion of the crackers were used before the explosion happened, say local reports.
The rescue efforts were started soon and those who were injured were taken to the district hospital, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram and other private hosipitals.
A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) comprising 50 personnel including doctors, pharmacists and nursing staff along with medical first responders, left to Kollam, said NDRF officials.
This is the largest such fire accident happened in Kerala, according to reports. The largest such accident so far was the fire accident happened in Sabarimala Temple in 1952.
Officials said that a case has been registered against the temple trust and other responsible people.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other ministers rushed to the spot. Kerala government has ordered a judicial enquiry under Retired Justice N Krishnan Nair and a Crime Branch investigation under ADGP Ananthakrishnan on the mishap with instructions to submit the report within 6 months. Besides, Nalini Netto, additional chief secretary, Government of Kerala, has been assigned to bring in a set of terms of reference for such activities in future. The Chief Minister added that the government can only control such rituals (firework display related to festivals in religious places) but cannot be restricted. He added that the death toll has went up to over 100 and 383 people were injured.
A team of explosive experts led by Chief Controller Explosives Sudarshan Kamal are inspecting Kollam fire tragedy site.
People who are at the spot said, there were scenes of complete chaos as emergency teams were slow in reaching the area and rescue teams are using bulldozers to clear the area looking for survivors. The entire area is also facing power cut since the first explosion, further complicating rescue efforts.
Many of the dead were charred beyond recognition and would have to be identified by DNA tests, said Kerala police chief TP Senkumar.
"Kollam tragedy should be considered as national calamity & speedy inquiry should be conducted" said Sitaram Yechury.