Midnight quarry raid uncovers explosives stockpile in Bengaluru; five booked

Bengaluru: Avalahalli police raided a granite quarry near Yarappanahalli village in the early hours of June 5 and found workers carrying out blasting.

Cops found around 230 gelatin sticks and 50 detonators stored on the premises without proper safety measures. The authorities initially believed the quarry operation was illegal, but during investigation, they learned that only night-time blasting was illegal.

According to sources, head constable Rajendra N and his colleague Mani were on night patrol duty on June 4. Around 3am, they received information about blasting activities at Venkateshwara Granite Quarry near Vidhana Soudha Layout in Yarappanahalli village. The informant also told them that no permission had been obtained from the competent authority for the quarry and that explosives were stored there illegally.

The cops rushed to the quarry around 4am and found three workers — Vikas, Touhid, and Sandeep — engaged in blasting operations. When questioned, they said the explosives had been supplied by quarry owner Venkataramana Reddy and crusher in-charge Lokesh Reddy for breaking rocks and transporting them to a crusher unit. When police sought documents authorising the storage and use of explosives, the workers admitted that no such permits had been obtained from any competent authority.

In all, 230 gelatin sticks and around 50 detonators were found stockpiled on the premises without adhering to the mandatory safety protocols. The explosives were seized and police registered a case against the quarry owner, crusher in-charge, and the three labourers under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and Section 288 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). During investigation, the owner produced permits to run the quarry, but carrying out blasting at night was a violation. Notices have been served on the accused and the probe will continue, sources said.