Shivraj Chouhan heckled on way to Jhabua explosion site

The locals said the huge pile of explosives should not have been stored in a building at a public place, according to the law.

The building in which the explosives were stored and an adjacent restaurant were destroyed and several houses damaged. Photo: A.M. Faruqui

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Cabinet colleague Antar Singh Arya were allegedly heckled on Sunday while they were en-route to Jhalua at Petlawad town where a >blast caused by mining explosives left 89 people dead .

Mr. Chouhan and Mr. Arya were stopped at the new bus stand square close to the tragedy site by angry protesters, including Congressmen, who came out on the roads in large numbers shouting slogans against the State government and district administration, alleging that it had not taken appropriate steps to prevent the tragedy, eyewitnesses said.

The locals said the huge pile of explosives should not have been stored in a building at a public place, according to the law.

They demanded stern action against the concerned officials for the lapse.

The protesters also shouted slogans demanding the sacking of District Collector Aruna Gupta and also allegedly manhandled the area’s Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) A. R. Khan, who tried to clear the way for the Chief Minister.

At least 89 people were killed and nearly 100 injured after a blast caused by mining explosives stored in a building ripped through a crowded area in Petlawad town.

Mr. Chouhan had ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident and also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each to kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for those injured.