Petlawad blast: Women stage protests demanding Rajendra Kasawa's arrest

JHABUA: Protesting police failure to nab Rajendra Kasawa, the main accused in the Petlawad blast here, a large number of women including victims took out a Nyay Yatra (justice rally) demanding his immediate arrest.

89 persons were killed and over 100 were injured in the September 12 blast caused by mining explosives.

The rally was taken out last evening by the women folk under the banner of Naari Shakti Manch from Shraddhanjali Chowk carrying placards with the photographs of deceased persons demanding justice for them.

Men and children also took part in the rally expressing anguish over slow probe in the case.

Kasawa has been absconding since the incident, but three persons, including his brothers - Narendra and Phoolchand Kasawa - and a supplier of mining explosives Dharmendra Rathore, have been arrested in connection with the blast.

Protestors, mostly women alleged that police have been going 'soft' on Kasawa and his relatives in the case, which is being probed by the Special Investigative Team (SIT).

The women have also handed over a memorandum to the SIT head, Additional SP, Seema Alawa in this connection.

The memorandum also demanded to conduct polygraph test, narco analysis test and adopt other scientific techniques while questioning relatives and associates of the main accused.

The blast in New Bus Stand area of Petlawad completely destroyed two buildings -- the one in which the explosive material was stored, and adjacent building housing Sethia restaurant -- besides damaging several houses.

The residential building in which the explosion took place is owned by Kasawa, who reportedly has a licence for use of explosives in digging of wells.

According to police, he had stored a huge quantity of explosives including gelatin sticks in the building.

Kasawa had been booked under 304 (manslaughter) of IPC and other sections of Explosive Substance Act, after the incident.