Explosion at Idinthakarai claims 6 lives

Country bombs explode in a house at Tsunami Colony, Idinthakarai, the epicentre of protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project

A file photo of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project. Six people were killed on Tuesday at a bomb blast in Idinthakarai village, the hub of protests against the project.

Six persons, including two children and a woman, were killed and a few others injured seriously on Tuesday evening when country bombs exploded in a house at Tsunami Colony at Idinthakarai, the epicentre of protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.

Police fear the toll could rise as people might have been trapped under debris.

One presumption is that that the country bombs exploded when the miscreants were engaged in making a bomb in the house. Police suspect the explosion could be because of rivalry between two groups who hail from Kooththenkuzhi, about 6 km from Idinthakarai.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel rescued four persons, including two children, trapped under the debris. The injured were rushed them to hospital.

Police sources said the explosion, which took place at 7 p.m., completely destroyed two adjacent houses and led to commotion in the neighbourhood.

Even before the anti-KKNPP protesters set up camp at Idinthakarai, the coastal hamlet and its neighbouring village of Kooththenkuzhi had witnessed several clashes and several hundred country bombs were seized by police. However, police have been wary of entering Idinthakarai or Tsunami Colony since the anti-KKNPP agitations started.

Superintendent of Police Vijayendra S. Bidari, who reached Kudankulam around 8.45 p.m. told The Hindu that some youths tried to prevent fire tenders from entering the village.

“Hence, we have to assess the situation now and take an appropriate decision for any operation to seize explosives,” Mr. Bidari said.

Nuclear power plant safe: DAE official

PTI reports:

The nuclear power plant at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu is safe and functioning normally, a senior official of the Department of Atomic Energy said in New Delhi shortly after a country bomb explosion near the facility. “The plant is running fine and is safe.”

A Home Ministry spokesman said in New Delhi that the bomb went off “accidentally” when some miscreants were making the explosive in their hut at around 6.40 p.m. at Idinthakarai Tsunami Colony.