THRISSUR: Visuals of the aftermath of Mundathicode blast are seared in the memory of forensic surgeon Hitesh Shankar, who led the team that conducted the autopsy of the mortal remains of the victims in the days following the explosion on April 21.
“I am not able to erase them from my mind. Human body parts were scattered in the area. Many bodies and body parts were charred, making identification difficult,” recalled Hitesh, as he recalled the harrowing experience of seeing the scattered parts being put together. His team relied on identifiers like a golden ring on a ear and betel leaf stains on teeth to identify some of the victims who were burnt beyond recognition.
Mentioning that he was not against people finding happiness in celebrations and festivals, Hitesh said authorities should be more vigilant about ensuring safety in risky tasks like dealing with explosives.
He said though his profession restricted him from getting emotional in such situations, what he went through in the aftermath of the blast was really intense.
In situations like these, the authorities and festival organisers should think about preventing such incidents rather than imposing a blatant ban on fireworks or other aspects rooted in culture and tradition.
“Storing large quantities of explosive items together and making many labourers work in a small space increases risks. Safety standards in such cases should be updated and enforced without compromise,” he said.