4 die as crackers blow up

By Our Staff Correspondent

ARSIKERE, (HASSAN DT.), APRIL 14. Four devotees were killed, three of them on the spot, when crackers stored in a room for the temple festival of Goddess Vangamma Devi at Bairamabuddi near here blew up at around 8-30 p.m. on Thursday. The deceased, all from a family, have been identified as Gangadhar (40), Renukanna (32), Huliamma (28) and Susheelamma (30) of Rattenhalli. While the first three died on the spot, Susheelamma died in hospital. The deceased were part of a group of 20 devotees from Rattenhalli who had come to attend the two-day festivities from neighbouring Tumkur District. According to police, the mishap occurred when crackers stored in a room adjacent to the temple blew up due to lack of ventilation and the temperature going up. The devotees, who were seated on the verandah outside the room, were caught in the impact of the explosion that blew the roof and sent the walls crumbling on them.

Police have summoned forensic and explosives experts to determine the cause of the accident. Mr. Rakesh Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Harishekaran, Arsikere Dy. SP, and Mr. H. S. Revanna, Additional SP, rushed to the spot and supervised relief operations.

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Section  : Regional
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