The death toll from the devastating firecracker incident in Attibele, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, has tragically risen to 17 with the recent passing of a 19-year-old laborer named Rajesh, originally from Tamil Nadu, at Saint John’s Hospital. He was one of three individuals admitted to the hospital, two of whom had already succumbed to their injuries.
The state government has initiated a magisterial inquiry into the case, with Amalan Aditya Biswas, the Regional Commissioner of the Bengaluru division, appointed as the investigating officer. He has been given three months to submit the probe report. Additionally, the Karnataka Police has submitted its own report on the tragedy, and a case has been registered under various IPC sections with the Attibele police station.
The incident unfolded on October 7 when a fire erupted during the unloading of crackers from a vehicle, spreading to the godown and stall of the Balaji Traders firecracker shop-cum-godown, resulting in the loss of at least 14 lives. Balaji Traders owner V. Ramaswamy Reddy and Anil Kumar have been arrested, while another accused is receiving treatment in the hospital.