Karopady Blast – Rumours, Allegations Galore, Police Clueless
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)
Vittal, Dec 17: In connection with the blast that occurred at a hillock in Karopady, Kanyana near Vittal in the taluk on the night of Tuesday December 15, various rumours are flying thick and thin in the taluk.
The local people claim that two people working in the explosives unit were seriously injured in the blast, and that they had been transported to a Kerala Hospital by the owners immediately. They also say that large stock of explosives and other raw materials were immediately shifted in eight vehicles.
The policemen have taken into custody a man named P M Moidu Kunhi (40), who owns the building where the stock of explosives was kept illegally. However, Mohammed from Kerala, who is said to be the main accused, has not yet been found.
The policemen are accused of having taken the incident in which an explosive device which had flown from the said hillock, had fallen on the cattle shed of Eshwar Bhat here, during the monsoon months. As it was raining heavily, the shed did not catch fire. When questioned by Bhat, the factory workers had claimed that they were conducting some experiments, and had assured that no more damage would occur thereafter. The policemen had not done anything to verify the activities going on at the hillock, relating to this incident, he villagers say.
The people believe that the policemen and the revenue department officials know the people involved with the factory and their operations here. Taluk panchayat member from here, Usman Kadropady, said that the policemen and revenue officials were hand in glove in these activites. He also held the local gram panchayat responsible for not doing anything to stop the activity. However, the district superintendent of police said that initially, the Vittal policemen had told him that it was just an explosion in a bidi manufacturing unit.
Odiyoor Sri Gurudevananda Swamiji visited the spot on Wednesday morning. He said that tremors were experienced in Odiyoor temple too. As people are apprehensive that some terrorist activities are going on here, efforts would be made to control the situation by forming village protection squads, he said. He also demanded a detailed investigation into the incident. Various other leaders including zilla panchayt vice-president, H Jagannath Salian, who visited the spot, expressed surprise about the intensity of the blast.
In yet another version of the incident, it is claimed that it was just an illegal unit engaged in manufacturing of crackers, which had caught fire, and that there were no loss of lives or grave injuries. The owner had applied for a licence for making crackers, and had been engaged in this activity, even before the licence was granted, the police department said. The policemen have booked Mohammed, who is absconding, under Explosive Substances Act.
Karopady gram panchayat president, Beta Narayan, said that the panchayat had not issued any licence or no objection letter to the factory. The complaint given by the people about the factory will be taken up at the next general session of the panchayat, he informed. MLA Ramanath Rai, who visited the spot, demanded for a detailed investigation. Ramanna Shetty, a local activist, alleged that the policemen had threatened the citizens who were trying to ascertain the truth, and had facilitated the accused to flee from the area.
Irrespective of what is being said and alleged by different quarters, it is impossible for the local panchayat and different departments, to close their eyes to what had been going on in places located within their jurisdictions for the last several months. It is almost clear that those who operated the factory kept the activities secret from the local people. If the manufactured items were carried to Kerala as stated, the checkposts at the border would have checked the goods being transported. Because of all these confusions and charges, only a detailed inquiry, without aiming to cover up lapses to protect persons in important positions and those involved with illegal activities, can only bring out truth. At a time when repeated signs that the coastal belts face the threat of being targetted by anti-national elements are emanating, the need for all the government departments and the people to be exercise maximum vigilance can never be overstated.