Kollam tragedy: Justice eludes cracker victims

KOLLAM: A month after the fireworks disaster at Puttingal temple in Paravur that killed 109 and maimed many, no action has been taken against authorities responsible for the violation of the magisterial order to prevent competitive fireworks. A judicial probe Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced after visiting the accident site has also not begun yet.

The Crime Branch police is allegedly confining the inquiry into the temple authorities and those connected with providing explosives for the fireworks at the temple. The investigating agency has not yet recorded statements from any of the police officers who intervened to give permission for conducting the fireworks despite ADM's order.

Over 40 persons including the other state labourers working in cracker units are on the accused list of the crime branch. The commission for judicial inquiry announced by Mr Chandy will be headed by retired high court Justice N. Krishnan Nair but sufficient staff were not recruited.

The commission has been given six months to submit the report, out of which one month is over. The inquiry commission announced by the Union government will start collecting evidence and sitting at Paravur by May 30.

The additional district magistrate who shares the same power of the district magistrate had ordered to prevent the competitive fireworks at the temple complying with the Explosives Act, which the police allegedly failed to oblige. The district administration had banned fireworks based on several reports from various government organisations including tahsildar and the police.