Vetlapalem blast: Firecracker contract ends in tragedy before festival delivery at in-laws’ village

Visakhapatnam: The deadly explosion at a firecracker unit in Vetlapalem, which claimed 28 lives, has been traced to preparations for the Singaramma Thalli Jatara in Mallisala village, Kakinada district. The unit was owned by brothers Adabala Srinivas and Adabala Veerababu, who had long supplied fireworks to the temple festival in their in-laws' village. For at least five years, they held the contract to deliver customised firecrackers for the event, renowned for its elaborate displays.The temple, located in a reserve forest between Jaggampeta and Gokavaram, attracts thousands of devotees. Its opening-day fireworks are a highlight, featuring animal- and tree-shaped crackers set off for nearly an hour. Among the attractions are a 15-foot snake-shaped cracker emitting venom-like sparks and a towering "eeta cheetu" (date palm) firecracker bursting with light and sound. This year, the temple awarded the brothers a contract worth nearly ₹2 lakh.The blast occurred around 2 pm on Feb 28 while the brothers were preparing the consignment, scheduled for delivery later that evening. Police suspect they stockpiled excessive explosive material to meet demand, treating the contract as a matter of prestige. Their father, A Satyanarayana, who had considerable experience in the trade, died instantly in the explosion, while the brothers were away at the time.Kakinada superintendent of police G Bindu Madhav said Srinivas, proprietor of Surya Sri Fire Works, held an LE-1 licence for manufacturing fireworks, renewed in 2024, while Veerababu had an LE-5 licence for sales. Their father had earlier worked in several units, giving the family a background in the trade. Building on this, the brothers obtained licences and jointly operated the business."Both the accused are sons-in-law of families from Mallisala village in Jaggampeta mandal. After receiving an order for firecracker materials for the Singaramma Thalli Jatara scheduled to be held at Mallisala on March 3, they increased production and manufactured a large quantity of fireworks, exceeding the permissible limits to meet the demand. Improper handling of pressure-sensitive explosive substances is suspected to have triggered shockwaves that set off nearby materials, ultimately leading to the explosion," the SP said.