RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Three members of a family were killed and three others suffered serious injuries in a blast in an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit at Lalacheruvu in the heart of city late Friday night.
According to police, Devada Mutyala Reddy and his family members were engaged in manufacturing firecrackers illegally for the forthcoming Deepavali festival in a hut hired by them at Subbaraopeta in Lalacheruvu locality.
The police suspected that sparks emanating from electric short circuit led to the blast in the cracker unit as explosive material was stocked in it. The hut was reduced to ashes within minutes. Soon after the blast, locals informed the matter to Prakash Nagar police and also the highway patrol team. They rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to government hospital. Fire tenders rushed to the place and extinguished the flames.
Mutyala Reddy’s wife Dhanalakshmi (35) died on the spot. His mother Suryakantham (65) and son Vinaykumar Reddy (17) succumbed to burns at the government hospital.
Mutyala Reddy’s other son Manikumar Reddy (19), who sustained 75 per cent burns in the blast, was shifted to Government General Hospital in Kakinada on Saturday morning. Vaishnavi (9), niece of Mutyala Reddy, suffered 40 per cent burns in the blast. It was learnt that Mutyala Reddy had come out of the hut just minutes before the blast and suffered minor injuries.
Rajamahendravaram Urban Superintendent of Police Shemushi Bajpayee, ASP K Latha Madhuri and other senior police officials rushed the spot and oversaw rescue operations.
CI suspended
Ch Suryabhaskar Rao, Circle Inspector of Prakash Nagar police station, was suspended on Saturday evening for his failure to take action against the illegal cracker manufacturing unit despite receiving several complaints from local people in this regard
Eluru Range DIG T Ravi Kumar Murthy also visited the place on Saturday. Later, he visited the hospital where Mutyala Reddy is undergoing treatment.
In the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Mutyala Reddy, who has been into the business for the past few years, hired the hut 15 days ago for manufacturing firecrackers, the DIG said. Locals said no action was taken against the illegal cracker manufacturing unit in a residential area though they complained to the authorities in this regard.
Prakash Nagar police registered a case against Mutyala Reddy under Sections of 286, 337, 338, 304 (a) of IPC and Section 9B (i) (a) of the Explosive Act, 1884. The SP said Mutyala Reddy would be arrested after being discharged from hospital.