Date:07/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/07/stories/2006050714230100.htm

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Thrissur Pooram fireworks cancelled

Staff Reporter

THRISSUR: The major display of fireworks at the Thrissur Pooram, one of the State's biggest festivals which begins here on Sunday, has been cancelled.

The firework display, scheduled to be held on Monday at 3 a.m., was called off following an explosion at a site in Padukkad where crackers were being made for Paramekkavu Devaswom, on Thursday.

In an official press release on Saturday, Collector Premachandra Kurup said the firecrackers would be destroyed in three stages after the Pooram celebrations were over.

"The decision to detonate the firecrackers in different stages has been taken because transporting them involves risk and defusing them takes long,'' the Collector said.

The decision was taken at a meeting, chaired by the Collector.

The death of seven pyrotechnicians and severe injuries to many in the blast had cast a deep gloom over Pooram celebrations. The first round of display of fireworks, called `Sample Vedikettu,' scheduled for Friday, was cancelled by the Paramekkavu and the Thiruvambadi Devaswoms. The police had registered cases under Section 304 and 308 against the Paramekkavu Devaswom office-bearers and the pyrotechnicians employed. Paramekkavu Devaswom secretary P. R. Ravichandran and assistant secretary Satheesh Menon were arrestedon Friday night and released later.