Firecracker Tragedy at Salem Temple Festival: Four Killed, CM Stalin Announces Relief

Tragedy struck a temple festival in Tamil Nadu's Salem district when a firecracker blast killed four people, including two young boys, near Kanjanaickenpatti village on Friday night. The horrific incident unfolded around 8:50 PM near the Poosaripatti bus stand, just a kilometre away from the Draupadi Amman temple, where celebrations were underway.

According to police, a bundle of firecrackers being transported in a gunny bag on a two-wheeler caught fire and exploded while a man was attempting to test them. The blast proved fatal for Selvaraj (29) from Kottamedu, two 11-year-old boys from Guruvalliyur, and Lokesh (20), who succumbed to his injuries at the Salem Government Medical College Hospital.

Expressing deep sorrow, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. "I was deeply shocked and pained to hear the tragic news. I express my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families who lost their kin," Stalin said in an official statement.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also expressed his grief over the incident, calling it "shocking and painful." In a post on social media platform 'X', he alleged that such tragedies have become more frequent under the current DMK regime due to lapses in protocol and security arrangements during temple festivals. He further urged the state government to enhance the compensation and implement stringent safety measures to prevent such mishaps in the future.

As the village mourns the untimely loss, questions are being raised about festival safety protocols and the urgent need for stricter enforcement to prevent such devastating accidents.

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