TIRUCHY: An Explosion at an illegal country cracker unit in Thanjavur killed two people on Sunday. The unit's operator was arrested, and the search is under way for the landowner.
According to sources, S Samarath Beevi (47) and her son Mohammed Riyas (19) operated a cracker stall at Neyveli Thenpathi on the land owned by Annadurai. Apart from selling, the duo also manufactured country crackers for local festivals and events in and around the district.
On Sunday, there was a fire in the cracker unit, prompting explosions and trapping Riyas and Sundrarajan (60), who sustained burns. The building collapsed and fell on the duo while they tried to escape and crushed them to death.
Fire and rescue personnel rushed to the spot on information and doused the fire after fighting for over an hour. They also retrieved the bodies and sent them to Pattukkottai GH. Vattathikkottai police rushed to the spot and conducted a probe. The Thiruvonam tahsildar also conducted an inquiry.
Meanwhile, the Thanjavur Collector B Priyanka Pankajam, SP R Rajaram, MP S Murasoli, Peravurani MLA N Ashok Kumar and others conducted an inquiry at the spot.
The initial probe found that the cracker unit was functioning without a license. Based on the complaint by VAO Palanivel, a case was registered, and Samarath Beevi was arrested. The police are also searching for Annadurai.