Six people were killed when the gelatin sticks they were trying to dispose of exploded accidentally at a stone quarry site in a village in Chikkaballapur early on Tuesday, police said.
The incident comes close on the heels of a similar blast at a quarry site in Shivamogga, the hometown of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, on January 22, which left six dead.
Karnataka Health Minister K. Sudhakar, who represents the Chikkaballapur constituency, visited the spot and said the bodies of the victims were badly mutilated and scattered all over the place.
According to police, the incident took place at Hirenagavalli near Peresandra.
Quarrying was stopped by the police on February 7 following complaints from local residents against rampant use of gelatin sticks. Yet, it continued clandestinely, following which another raid was carried out a few days ago and the contractor was warned not to use gelatin anymore.
The men working there went to dispose of the explosives in the wee hours of Tuesday when it went off accidentally.
Meanwhile, Sudhakar said stringent action would be taken against the owners of the mines, who had stored the explosives illegally. He added that police investigations are on into the matter.
Yediyurappa was quoted by ANI as saying, “The death of 6 people near Hirenagavalli village, Chikkaballapur, due to a gelatin blast, is shocking. District in-charge minister and senior officials instructed to conduct a thorough probe and take stern action against the culprits.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the accident. The Prime Minister’s Office tweeted, “Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap at Chikkaballapur in Karnataka. Condolences to the bereaved families. Praying that the injured recover quickly.”
(With inputs from PTI)
