Father-son duo arrested in Kummaravandlapalli blast case

Tirupati: Kadiri rural police in Sri Sathya Sai district arrested two persons in connection with the Kummaravandlapalli blast in which four persons lost their lives and 25 others sustained injuries on April 15. Kadiri DSP J Sivanarayana Swamy said the accused, Gogula Venkanna (48) and his son Gogula Sampath (26), used to work with blast experts and engineers involved in national and state highway works. The duo used to steal explosive materials during such works and illegally stock them inside their house. On April 15, an LPG gas cylinder leakage triggered an accidental fire at Venkanna's house, and the explosive material subsequently triggered a major blast. While Venkanna and his son managed to escape the blast by immediately running out of the house, four innocent neighbours who rushed towards Venkanna's house to help them were killed in the blast. Around 25 others, including neighbours, sustained injuries.The intensity of the blast was so severe that six houses nearby were completely destroyed, and several others were partially damaged. Venkanna and his son, who were absconding, were arrested by Kadiri rural police near a railway underbridge close to Yerradoddi village on Friday.