Date:05/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/05/stories/2007110559360400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Cracker blast: Five more children succumb

Staff Reporter

Pall of gloom descends on Joshiwadi, Chandanwadi
13 persons, including 11 children injured in the blast

HYDERABAD: After battling for life for over 60 hours, five children who suffered serious burns in an illegal unit manufacturing firecrackers at Joshiwadi in Shahinayatgunj on Thursday succumbed to injuries at the KIMS Hospital on Sunday.

With the deaths of Manjula and her sister Varalaxmi, Saikumar, Ganesh Jadhav and Praveen, all aged below 15, the toll rose to seven. Two other children Arvind Kumar and Venkatesh died earlier while undergoing treatment in the same hospital. Thirteen persons, including 11 children suffered injuries after a powerful explosion took place in the unit.

Pall of gloom

A pall of gloom descended on Joshiwadi, Chandanwadi and its surrounding localities after residents came to know of the deaths. Surrounded by his relatives in a small house in Chandanwadi, Manjula’s father Krishnaiah struggled for composure while speaking about them. His three daughters Manjula, Varalaxmi and Shivaleela suffered burns in the incident.

Manjula and Varalaxmi died today, while Shivaleela was still undergoing treatment, said Shahinayatgunj Sub-Inspector G. Guruvaiah. He said some of the injured included students who went to purchase firecrackers while others were working in the unit and getting paid Rs. 10 for every 100 crackers they prepared.

The three siblings were students of Andhra Saraswathi Balikala Patashala, Ganesh was from LMG School, Praveen from Vande Mataram School and Saikumar from Jyothi Memorial High School, all located at Goshamahal.

“My brother Ganesh went out to meet his friends and a few minutes later, I got a message that he got injured in the blast. Inquiries the next day revealed that he had gone there to buy crackers along with his friends,” the boy’s elder brother Kishore said.

Six persons were still undergoing treatment in the hospital where the condition of two of them was stated to be serious.

Five arrested

Police arrested five persons, including the manufacturing unit owner Narsing Rao. He and his two brothers -- Subash and Ramakrishna -- had employed the children. Two others -- Sunil Kumar Vyas and Narayan Das -- were held for supplying the explosive material. All of them were remanded to judicial custody.