Salem: Four people, including two children, were killed after a bundle of firecrackers, brought on a two-wheeler to celebrate the Draupathi Amman Temple festival, exploded, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place at around 9 pm on Friday. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced consolation and financial assistance to the families of the deceased.
The Draupathi Amman Temple festival is taking place after about 27 years in Kanchanayakkanpatti near Kadaiyampatti in the Salem district. 29-year-old Selvaraj from Kottayamette, Kanchanayakkanpatti, was carrying a bundle of 300 kg of country-made firecrackers on a two-wheeler last night. The firecrackers were to be used in the festival.
While he was going to the old cinema theatre area of Poosaripatti, garbage was burning on the side of the road. At that time, the bike, which had lost control, unexpectedly fell into the burning garbage. In it, the firecrackers kept in the bundle caught fire and exploded, causing a series of explosions.
Selvaraj's body was shattered, and he was killed on the spot. Karthi (11), the son of Subramani from Kanchanayakkanpatti, and Tamilselvan (12), the son of Settu from Kanchanayakkanpatti, Guruvalliyur, who were playing in the area, died. On receiving information, the Kadaiyampatti firefighters rushed to the scene and doused the fire.
Upon receiving information, the Tamil Nadu Police recovered the bodies of the deceased and sent them to the hospital for post-mortem. 20-year-old Lokesh (20), a resident of Kottayamed, who was seriously injured, was admitted to the Salem Government Hospital for treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Meanwhile, the windows and walls of some houses nearby were damaged when the accident occurred. Omalur Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar is investigating the incident.
Chief Minister's relief announcement:
Stalin, in a statement, said, "Last night at around 8.50 pm, while carrying a bundle of crackers on a two-wheeler near the Poosaripatti bus stand in Kanchanayakkanpatti village, Salem district, on the occasion of the Draupadi Amman temple festival, the firecracker unexpectedly caught fire."
"In that, Selvaraj from Kottamedu, and two boys from Guruvalliyur, Tamilselvan and Karthi, died on the spot. Furthermore, Lokesh from Kottamedu, who was seriously injured and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Salem Government Medical College Hospital, also died. I was deeply shocked and pained to hear this tragic news. I express my deepest condolences and comfort to the families and relatives of those who died in this accident and have ordered to provide Rs. three lakh each to the families of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund," he said.
