Hanumanthapuram blast: Nearly 60 shells seized from victim’s house

The house owner, Ramakrishnan, 50, a resident of Hanumanthapuram, was injured when a shell he was carrying on the two-wheeler, fell off and exploded on Tuesday evening. Ramakrishnan had suffered injuries on his legs in the blast and was admitted to Chengalpattu Government Hospital. The injured woman Govindammal, who suffered injury on her chest and head, was shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General hospital in Chennai for further treatment.

Police team led by an inspector, conducted a surprise check at Ramakrishnan’s house in Hanumanthapuram and found metal pieces and used unused shells. They said that he had kept them concealed in gunny bags in the storeroom.

They also said that most of the seized shells were either burnt or diffused. A team of commandos from Marutham complex in RA Puram which examined the shells, had taken some samples for test and analysis. The police have also roped in ballistic experts to carry out examination of these seized shells.

Police noted that Ramakrishnan was also in to a real estate business and he had been collecting metal pieces and abandoned shells from the Hanumanthapuram firing range, which is mostly used by security agencies including the paramilitary forces and commando police team of the State police.

After questioning Ramakrishnan, police noted that he had kept the shells and metals stored for more than six months He took one of the shells to sell it at an old scrap merchant when it rolled off from his vehicle and exploded on Tuesday.