Man, two women killed in firecracker blasts in Andhra
At least 50 people sustained eye injuries during Diwali celebrations at Hyderabad in Telangana on Thursday night
Three people were killed and 11 others were injured in two separate incidents of firecracker explosion in a span of 24 hours in Andhra Pradesh, police officers said on Friday.
One person died as the firecrackers exploded when he was carrying them on his motorbike in Eluru town on Thursday evening, and two women were charred to death when lightning struck a firecrackers manufacturing unit, leading to the explosion, in East Godavari district, on Wednesday night.
The first incident took place on Thuru Veedhi street in Eluru town, when Durgasi Sudhakar, 30, along with his friend, Tabeti Sai, was travelling on his motorbike carrying a bag containing locally made firecrackers called “onion bombs”.
“When they reached the Ganganamma temple on Thuru Veedhi, the vehicle hit a speed breaker, following which the bag of firecrackers fell on the road resulting in an explosion. Sudhakar, who was driving the two- wheeler, died on the spot, and pillion rider Sai sustained severe injuries,” Eluru deputy superintendent of police (DSP) D Sravan Kumar told reporters.
Five others — S Sasi, K Srinivasa Rao, Mohd Khadar, Satish, and Suresh – who were standing on the road side, also sustained injuries, he added.
After the police were alerted, the DSP and Town-I inspector M Satyanarayana rushed to the spot and took the injured people to Government General Hospital, Eluru. “The injured are undergoing treatment in the government hospital, where their condition is stable,” the DSP said.
On Friday, state minister for information and public relations Kolusu Parthasarathy called on the family members of Sudhakar and offered his condolences. “We shall pay an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the government and ₹1 lakh from the Telugu Desam Party, besides a job to the victim’s wife. The injured also would be paid ₹20,000 each for their treatment,” the minister said.
In the earlier incident, two women died and five others sustained grievous injuries when lightning struck a firecrackers manufacturing unit at Suryarao Palem village under Undrajavaram mandal in East Godavari district on Wednesday evening.
Kovvur DSP G Deva Kumar said that the firecracker manufacturing unit was located closer to a coconut tree on the outskirts of Suryarao Palem village. “The lightning struck the coconut tree and the sparks from it fell on the raw materials of the firecrackers outside the shed, triggering the explosion,” he said.
The deceased were identified as Vegirowthu Srivalli (42) from Duvva village of Tanuku block, and Gummadi Suneetha (38) from Ravi Padu village of Pentapadu block, who were working inside the shed when the explosion too place.
“Five other women who were also present there suffered injuries in the incident and their condition remains critical. They were identified as Kadimi Kumari and Chukka Peddintlu from Duvva, M Kamala Rathanm, Neelam Lakshmi, and Vipparthi Venkateswara Rao from Ravipadu village. They have been rushed to the government hospital, Tanuku, and their condition is serious,” the DSP said.
50 INJURED IN DIWALI CELEBRATIONS
At least 50 people sustained eye injuries during Diwali celebrations at Hyderabad in Telangana on Thursday night, people familiar with the matter said.
According to an official from the state-run Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, around 50 cases of injuries, including that of 35 children, were reported at the hospital till Friday morning. “Except nine patients, all the others were treated as outpatients,” the official said, adding that some of the severely injured patients might have to undergo surgery in a couple of days.