SPOT REPORT Monday, Oct 16 - 1-30 pm

Puttur: Stories Emerging Galore about Fatal Blast at Buderia

from our special correspondent reporting from Buderia, Alankar (GA)

Puttur, Oct 16: Perhaps there is nothing easier than maligning someone after his death.  Such a thing occurs more often if someone meets an untimely death.  If someone dies in road accident, then rumours are that he might have been drunk, was negligent, always been driving recklessly etc.

If someone dies of illness, then again local news agencies (gossipmongers) spread the news that he was not taking proper care, used to consume excessive alcohol, used to smoke, so on and so forth.  This is purely because the dead person cannot defend himself.  Whether such stories hold any ground or not, one thing is very clear that they succeed in maligning the dead person and his near and dear ones.

This is what is happening here now after 5 persons were killed in the blast at Buderia near Alankar on Sunday October 15 morning.  As reported earlier, the blast occurred outside the house of Fakir Saheb who was also known as "Garnal Saheb" because he used to prepare crackers.  It was nothing new to the people since even Fakir Saheb's father too was involved in the same occupation.  His pyrotechnics were the special attraction at the Mahaligheshwara Temple, Puttur and in other temples at Subrahmanya, Uppinangady, Sharavoor and surrounding areas.

This was the story for nearly 50 years.  During these long years, no one raised doubts whether Fakir Saheb held a vailid licence to make crackers in his house.  Whenever they needed crackers, they went to Fakir Saheb and placed orders.  But now that Fakir Saheb is no more and there is no one to throw light on the entire episode, stories emerge that he was making crackers clandestinely. 

Local gram panchayat president and Puttur assistant commissioner too have stated that Fakir Saheb was preparing crackers in his house illegally.  Agreed that assistant commissioner had come here recently and might not have got details about this.  But what was the present gram panchayat president doing all this while?  If he knew that it was illegal, he should have either stopped it or asked Fakir Saheb to get a licence for his trade.  The police on the other hand are of the opinion that Fakir Saheb had a licence for his trade.

In this case who is saying the truth and who otherwise?  If it was illegal, then why the police maintain that it was legal?.  Is it because they want to protect themselves for not having taken action earlier? Then why have the people, organizations, associations and temples been buying crackers from Fakir Saheb even after knowing that it was illegal?  Then if it is legal, what do these people get by maligning Fakir Saheb's death? While his family is yet to overcome the trauma, what are these people trying to state?

Some are of the opinion that Fakir Saheb was making explosives in his house and on Sunday he was actually loading such explosives on to the rickshaw and not really crackers.  They say that crackers might not have caused a blast of this magnitude but only powerful explosives could have caused it.

Whatever it is, no one is sure about anything.  Only a detailed and impartial investigation may throw light on the entire tragedy and even the trade of Fakir Saheb.  But till then, it is quite sure that Fakir Saheb will continue to be maligned long after his death, in every possible way.

Five killed in fire-cracker blast near Puttur

Pics: Arun Uppinangady

Mangalore, Oct. 15 (PTI): Five persons were killed when firecrackers burst today while being loaded in an auto-rickshaw at Saravoor near Kadaba in Puttur taluk, nearly 55 km from here, police said.

Police said fire set ablaze by bursting crackers engulfed the partially built house where crackers were stored.

The dead included two autorickshaw passengers, two house inmates and a teenaged boy standing nearby, they said.

Our Mangalore bureau adds:

Kadaba police sub inspector Nanda Kumar, speaking to daijiworld's Mangalore office, said that the persons who were involved in cracker-making Fakir alias Amir (60), his son Rafiq (22), and rickshaw-driver Vinay Kumar (20), Vijay Kumar and Deekshit (10) died on the spot. The slab of the terrace house is said to have landed on them with the impact of the blast.

Since rickshaws make a rare appearance in villages, Vijay Kumar had intended to take a lift on it to the town, while Deekshit from the neighbourhood had run to the spot out of sheer curiosity, said Nanda Kumar.

The mishap occurred around 9-00 am and a complaint was filed by Vasant Poojary, father of the deceased boy Deekshit by noon.

Our Puttur correspondent reports from Buderia:

The neighbours mentioned that the cracker-making activity had been going on for decades very clandestinely. The cause of the blast was that the stockpile was made of what is popularly known as 'bellulli' crackers (garlic-shaped crackers, which are burst by being hit on the ground). The locals guess that the stock of crackers while being loaded into the rickshaw might have created an impact resulting in the blast. A total stock valued at Rs one lac is said to have exploded together.

SP Dayananda, Puttur ASP Dr Harsha, sniffer dog squad and explosive experts have rushed to the spot on receiving the report. Informed sources ruled out the possibility of any bomb explosion.