CPI demands thorough probe into Madhya Pradesh explosion

NEW DELHI: The CPI today demanded "thorough" probe into the explosion at Madhya Pradesh's Petlawad town that left 89 people dead, and expressed grief over the huge loss of lives in the incident.

The party demanded the Madhya Pradesh government to enquire the angle of how main accused Rajendra Kasawa, alleged to be a worker of ruling BJP, was allowed to store explosives in a residential building.

"The party demands a thorough probe into the episode, including how Kasawa was allowed to store explosives in such great quantities.

"The party sends its condolences to the families of the victims and also demands adequate compensation to them," CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said in a statement.

Eighty-nine people were killed and nearly 100 others left injured last Saturday after a massive blast caused by mining explosives stored in a building ripped through a crowded area of Petlawad.

The explosion completely destroyed at least two buildings - one in which explosive material for digging wells was stored and an adjacent restaurant, and damaging several houses.

The explosion took place in the building of Kasawa, who had a licence to use explosive material for digging wells.

According to police, he had stored explosive material, including gelatin sticks, in huge quantity in the building having two shops in it and situated close to busy Sethia Restaurant in new bus stand area.