The owner of a private fireworks manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, in which 25 people were killed and five others injured, has surrendered while four of his accomplices have been arrested, police said on Tuesday.
According to police, four special teams have been formed to trace V Muthu Manickam, owner of Vanaja Fireworks, after the explosion that occurred at the facility in Kattanarpatti village in Virudhunagar, about 550 km south of Chennai on April 19.
“Four people were arrested and the owner was handed over to court.” A senior district police official told HT.
In one of the major tragic events in a region prone to such disasters due to the presence of explosive materials, 25 workers including 25 workers were killed in the accident that occurred on April 19, sending tragic ripples across the country.
President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister MK Stalin extended their condolences to the bereaved family members.
Sources said that according to a senior district police officer, a case has been registered at Vachakakarapatti police station over the incident and it is currently under investigation.
He added that four special teams had been formed to track down the fugitive owner.
On Tuesday, he said the 44-year-old factory owner in Muthu Manickam handed himself over to the judicial magistrate while four others were arrested. “The four – S Muthuraj, 42, T Vairamuthu, 29, C Vetrivel, 28, MK Muthu Krishna Kumar, 33, were arrested and released on bail,” he said.
He added that the owner was taken to Virudhunagar Government Hospital for a medical examination.
Initial investigations indicate that the unit has a license from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO), Nagpur.
According to government authorities, although the company obtained a license to operate, some violations were recorded, such as accommodating 20 people instead of four in one room while manufacturing firecrackers.
Virudhunagar District Collector NO Sukhaputra said that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. “After the investigation, we will know what happened. If there are any violations, we will take action against the owner,” he said.
