THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five months after the Puttingal firework disaster that killed 114 people, an explosion rocked the Kazhakoottam residence of the accused pyrotechnist Surendran. While Mr Surendran had passed away, his sons Umesh Kumar and Deepu, who were co-accused, were present in the house at the time of the explosion heard beyond 3 km. It blew up a compound wall that separated their house, Thekke Veedu, from neighbour’s villa. It left a big crater and shattered windowpanes of nearby houses.
Police, however, said there were no causalities. The explosion was suspected to have occurred beneath a storage room sealed after raids following the Puttingal tragedy. “Mr Kumar says he was not aware of firecrackers underneath and contests that cracker manufacturing had not happened here. We are awaiting the bomb squad to defuse the leftover explosives and ascertain the reason for the blast,” said Kazhakoottam SI V.V. Dipin. Mr Kumar and his brother were released from judicial custody only a month back.
A case has been registered against them under Explosives Act following the latest incident. Meanwhile, Mr Surendran’s family alleged a conspiracy behind the blast aimed at continuing the persecution they face. Mr Surendran, during Puttingal temple festival, was allegedly engaged in a competitive firework exhibition with another pyrotechnic expert when the tragedy happened on April 9.
