By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Police on Thursday arrested Raja Ratnam, the owner of the two restaurants — Madras Café and Banana Leaf — gutted in fire due to two LPG cylinders blasts on Wednesday.
The restaurant owner has been accused of violating the Essential Commodities Act, concealment of evidence and negligence while using combustible substances and causing grieving injuries to people.
However, Ratnam managed to secure a bail on the same day.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Vivek Syiem said the exploded cylinder in Banana Leaf restaurant at Laitumkhrah was found hidden in a godown along with six other domestic cylinders.
It was revealed in the police investigation that illegal “transfer” of gas from domestic cylinders to commercial cylinders through metal pipes was the cause behind the two blasts. Price of domestic LPG cylinders is lesser than that of the commercial ones while use of the domestic cylinders in restaurants is strictly prohibited.
The fire occurred at Banana Leaf restaurant when a spark from a Dosa masala grinder caught fire due to leaked LPG from a pipe while transferring the gas, according to police.
“The owner rushed to the restaurant after the incident and asked the staff to hide all the domestic cylinders including the cylinder which exploded in the store room,” the ASP said, adding, “Clothes of the two seriously injured cooks were also taken to the store room to conceal the evidence.”
The police have seized ten empty commercial cylinders and six domestic cylinders besides the two exploded cylinders from Madras Café and Banana Leaf restaurants.
Seven people were injured and several shops gutted in the fire caused by the LPG cylinder blasts in the two restaurants owned by Raja Ratnam at Laitumkhrah and Jail Road within a span of one hour.
Condition of two persons, Niranjan Satrami (28) and Deepak Satrami (30), who sustained 45% burn injuries, is stated to be serious though out of danger.