THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the first anniversary of the Puttingal temple fireworks tragedy is approaching, authorities of another temple in the district violated the District Collector’s directive not to conduct fireworks.
The authorities of the Poruvazhy Peruveruthy Malanada temple, claimed to be the lone Duryodhana temple in South India, flouted the Collector’s directive and conducted fireworks on Friday night. Though the police as well as the temple committee maintained that no persons were injured in the fireworks, local people said three persons suffered minor burns. The police have arrested 21 persons for conducting the fireworks flouting ban orders.
“As of now, 21 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. They were charged under various Sections of the Explosives Act. It was not a competitive fireworks.
The temple authorities said they conducted the fireworks as it was part of the temple tradition. Chinese crackers were used for the fireworks. We have seized 13 empty cylinders of the same. No persons were injured in the incident,” said Joseph Leon, Sub Inspector, Sooranad police station. Meanwhile, a temple committee member told Express the reports of competitive fireworks and injuries to three persons were baseless.
According to him, the firework was conducted as part of temple tradition and it lasted only for less than half an hour. However, he admitted that the District Collector had denied permission to conduct the firework. Earlier in 1990, 26 persons had lost their lives in the Malanada fireworks, after the crackers kept in the storehouse caught fire.