Sivakasi blaze: Owner of firecracker unit arrested

The owner of a Sivakasi cracker manufacturing unit where a fire on September 5 claimed 39 lives was arrested today on culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other charges from Samayanallur in this district.

Murugesan, who had been absconding since the incident, was arrested by a special police team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (Virudhunagar District) Ramamoorthy near a temple, they said.

He has bee charged under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), Section 337 (causing hurt by endangering life ) and Section 338 (causing grievous..) of the IPC along with various sections under Indian Explosives Act and Explosive Substances Act.

He has been taken to Virudhunagar in connection with the ongoing investigation.

Police had earlier arrested 12 persons in connection with the fire at Om Shakthi fireworks factory, which broke out when workers were mixing chemicals to make fancy fire crackers.

The Tamil Nadu government has ordered a magisterial probe into the mishap at Sivakasi, the hub of the country