Hearing in blast case on March 2

The First Additional District and Sessions Judge (PCR) here on Tuesday directed the prosecution and the defence counsels to file counters to a petition filed on behalf of those affected in the major blast that occurred in a private explosive substances manufacturing factory at T. Murungapatti village in Thuraiyur taluk in the district in December 2016 which claimed the lives of 19 persons and caused injuries to 18 others.

The petition filed by R. Muthukumar of T. Murungapatti on behalf of those affected was numbered on Tuesday in the Court and notices were given to the prosecution counsel representing the Crime Branch CID probing the blast case and to the defence counsel to submit their objections, if any, to the petition.

Mr. Muthukumar who is the Uppiliyapuram panchayat union council member and a member of the Communist Party of India- Marxist had filed the petition on February 19 in which he sought Court’s permission to assist the prosecution through his counsel S. Muthukrishnan in the blast case to safeguard the interest of the affected people and the victims.

Copies of the petition filed by Mr. Muthukumar were given to the Special Public Prosecutor A. Rajendhran representing the CB -CID and to the defence counsel when the case came up for hearing on Tuesday. The Judge posted the hearing in the case to March 2.

CB-CID personnel were present in the court on the occasion.

The CB-CID had named R. Vijayakannan- the managing director, licencee and occupier of the factory; the factory director Prakasam and two competent persons in the factory S.S. Anand and R. Rajagopal as the accused in the blast case. Prosecution sources said Rajagopal who has been named as accused no. 4 was present in the court on Tuesday.

The prosecution had already submitted before the Court documents including electronic evidence such as Compact Discs and digital photos taken at the blast site during the course of the investigation done by the CB-CID. The blast at the Vetrivel Explosives Private Limited occurred on December 1, 2016 morning.