Siddarth Sethia
A case has been registered at Anekal Police Station against nine persons for allegedly carrying out quarry blasting operations without proper permissions and safety measures at a stone quarry in Thammanayakanahalli village of Anekal taluk.
According to the complaint filed by PSI Munirathna M., police personnel received credible information that blasting activities were being conducted at SLV Crusher in Survey No.177 of Thammanayakanahalli without obtaining the required licences and without following mandatory safety protocols.
Acting on the tip-off, a police team visited the site at around 2.30 pm on June 3 and conducted an inspection.
During the inspection,officers allegedly found workers preparing for blasting operations using drilling equipment and explosive materials.
The police noted that no authorised blasting supervisor was present at the site and that explosive substances were allegedly stored in an unsafe manner.Quarry stones extracted through blasting were reportedly being loaded onto lorries for transportation.
The police questioned workers and supervisors present at the quarry and identified the persons involved in the operations.
Those named in the FIR includes Mallikarjun (49), Ramith Singh (36),Maruthi (29),Ravi (29),John Miton, Velu Murugan,Venkatesh,Vadivelu and Krishnamurthy.
Investigators were informed that the explosives were allegedly procured from a supplier in Tamil Nadu.
The complaint further states that quarry operations were being carried out without the presence of the licensed blasting in-charge and without adhering to statutory safety requirements,thereby endangering the lives of workers and the public.
Based on the complaint,Anekal Police registered a case under Sections 5 of the Explosive Substances Act,1908, 9B(1)(b) of the Explosives Act,1884, Sections 4(1), 4(1A), 21(1), 21(4), 21(4A) and 21(5) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act,1957,along with Section 288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the legality of the quarry operations and the source of the explosive materials used at the site.
