Kerala government orders judicial probe into Thrissur fireworks tragedy, Rs 14 lakh aid for victims’ families

The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday ordered a judicial inquiry into the circumstances leading to the blast at a fireworks unit in Mundathikode, Thrissur, that killed 14 people and injured several others. Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair, a single-member judicial commission, will head the inquiry.

An emergency financial assistance of Rs 14 lakh will be provided to the families of the deceased, including Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund and Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). The cabinet meeting held online has also decided to provide Rs 2 lakh each to the injured.

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The Cabinet also directed the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to declare the blast in Thrissur as a state-specific disaster.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Meanwhile, the search for those missing in the explosion at the Mundathikode firecracker manufacturing facility continued on Wednesday. Cadaver dogs are being used in the search. Two more body parts were found in a nearby field on Wednesday.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed that nine complete bodies and 26 body parts have been recovered from the site. The body parts, many of which are charred, are undergoing forensic examination and DNA testing to determine the exact number of victims, as many individuals remain untraceable. The central agency, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), has also reached the spot for inspection.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Mundathikode disaster in Thrissur, the Palakkad District Collector has issued a stop memo to a firecracker manufacturing unit associated with the Paramekkavu Devaswom .The unit is located in Vellaramkadavu, Muthalamada, Palakkad district.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the government will take a decision on the conduct of the Thrissur Pooram on Thursday. Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan said on Wednesday that the High Court has given permission to convene a high-level meeting on the matter. A decision on the conduct of the Pooram will be taken after the meeting is held on Thursday . He told the media that the government will not take a unilateral decision and the decision will be taken after consulting the Devaswom.

Fourteen people were killed and over 40 were injured on Tuesday in a powerful explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit at Mindathikode, Thrissur, Kerala.