BENGALURU: A stone quarry owner and four others have been arrested for allegedly illegally storing more than 225 gelatin sticks and over 50 detonators at a quarry near Vidhana Soudha Layout in Bidarahalli.
Based on a tip-off, the Avalahalli police raided the quarry and seized the explosives, which were allegedly stored without the required authorisation. Police are questioning the accused to ascertain the source of the explosive materials.
Police said two personnel attached to the Avalahalli police station were on patrol around 3 am on June 4 when they received information that a quarry operated by Venkateshwara Granites Crusher near Vidhana Soudha Layout was storing explosives illegally.
The policemen visited the quarry around 4 am. During questioning, three workers identified as Vikas, Tohid and Sandeep allegedly told police that quarry owner Venkataramana Reddy and crusher supervisor Lokesh Reddy had instructed them to use detonators and other explosives stored at the site to blast rocks and supply the crushed stones to the crusher unit.
When asked to produce licences or authorisation for carrying out blasting operations, the workers reportedly stated that they did not possess any such documents.
A case has been registered against Venkataramana Reddy, Lokesh Reddy and the three workers involved in the blasting operations. They have been booked under the Explosive Substances Act, the Explosives Rules and sections relating to negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances.