Film shoot blast victims’ kin wonder why there is no action against crew

BENGALURU: Relatives of a 28-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter who were killed on Friday after a gas cylinder exploded at a film’s shooting set in Bagalur, north Bengaluru, staged a protest in front of the Bagalur police station on Sunday afternoon, demanding justice.

Some of the protesters also climbed the telephone tower at Bagalur Circle and also took out a march from Bagalur Circle to the police station.

Samina Banu and her daughter Ayesha Banu were watching the shooting of

Kannada

film Ranam in Bagalur when a gas cylinder, kept in the middle of the road to simulate blasts, exploded. The shrapnel hit the two and killed them instantly.

Munawar Khan, the brother-in-law Samina Banu, said, “It’s been two days since the accident and police are yet to take any action against the film crew. If it had happened to an actor, they might have made a a big issue. Why are we treated like this?”

A delegation of the protesters, including Samina’s husband Tabrez Khan, spoke to the police officials regarding the need for justice.

Speaking to TOI, Tabrez Khan said his elder daughter, Zainab, who sustained injuries in the blast, is still traumatised. “Zainab keeps waking up in the middle of the night screaming for her mother. She is in

deep shock

. Kannada film industry members have not done anything about it yet, why?” Tabrez said.

“Are our lives not worth at all?” he added.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedhika (KRV) activists too joined the family members in the protest. “We have arranged a meeting with the Karnataka Film Chamber and Commerce (KFCC) tomorrow at 10:30am to help seek justice for the family,” a KRV activist said.

Police officials, however, said, “The family members requested us to nab the accused... already three teams have been sent for the same,” Naagthe said, adding: “The film crew members have switched off their phones and we’re not able to get in touch with them.”