Police in the southern Indian city of Kollam have detained five people who helped supply fireworks to a local Hindu temple, where an explosion early Sunday morning killed at least 110 worshippers gathered for a new year's festival, and injured hundreds more. The explosion was sparked by an errant firework in an unauthorized pyrotechnic display that landed amid a second stockpile of fireworks in a shed at the Puttingal Devi temple complex, local officials said. The blast destroyed that shed and an office building and sent flames and concrete into the night air. The main temple itself was not significantly damaged.
Police have opened a criminal inquiry, investigating 15 temple officials and the contractors who supplied them fireworks for culpable homicide and illegally storing explosives, and officials in Kerala state have ordered a judicial inquiry. The century-old Puttingal temple traditionally holds competitive fireworks displays at the end of the seven-day celebration, but local authorities said no this year, according to A. Shainamol, the district's top official. "They were clearly told that no permission would be given for any kind of fireworks."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain
-
5 dreamy books to dive into this JulyThe Week Recommends A 'politically charged' collection of essays, historical fiction goes sci-fi and more
-
Combs convicted on 2 of 5 charges, denied bailSpeed Read Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking
-
Sniper kills 2 Idaho firefighters in ambushSpeed Read A man started a wildfire, then fired a rifle at first responders when they arrived
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrialSpeed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulderspeed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC paradespeed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museumspeed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
