KOLLAM , India, April 11 (UPI) — Police in India arrested six people after a fireworks explosion at a Hindu temple killed at least 109 people.
Thousands of people attended a festival Sunday at the 100-year-old Paravour Puttingal Devi Temple in Kollam in India’s southern Kerala state to celebrate the start of the Hindu year. A competitive fireworks show, not authorized by local government, is an annual event at the celebration.
Sparks ignited a cache of fireworks, prompting the fire and a shower of concrete and debris which trapped celebrants within the temple complex and injured at least 383 people.
Among those arrested were members of the temple managing committee and associates of two fireworks companies. They were charged with attempt to murder and attempt to commit culpable murder — the equivalent of manslaughter in the United States — under the Indian Penal Code and the Explosives Substances Act. Five workers of the fireworks contractors were also detained for questioning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the scene of the fire Sunday, hours after the explosion.
District government administration reiterated that no approval or permission was given for the fireworks show, and that Sunday’s display contravened local regulations. Public safety has long been a problem in India; police are still investigating the collapse of a Kolkata highway overpass which killed at least 24 people on April 1.
