‘Boy hurt in firecracker blast is doing well’
SUNGAI PETANI: The boy who was injured in the firecracker blast during the Thaipusam celebration along Jalan Kuala Ketil here has received outpatient treatment, according to Kuala Muda district police chief Asst Comm Saifi Abdul Hamid.
He said the five-year-old was doing fine and was not warded in hospital.
ACP Saifi said four men aged between 25 and 34 had been detained in connection with the explosion.
“No permit was issued to the organiser of the event for the firecracker performance.
“However, there was no element of mischief in the incident,” he said when met by reporters at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, Bernama reported.
During the incident at about 8.30pm on Thursday, 26 people were injured near the Sri Subramaniya Swami Devasthanam Temple when firecrackers exploded in the midst of thousands who were gathered to witness the chariot procession.
Another victim, A. Tiruselvi, 41, said her sari was burnt but her only concern was for her 14-year-old son D. Shashildavi, who was bleeding.
“All I wanted to do was to hug my son.
“I didn’t think of anything else,” she said.
Temple volunteer N. Sundagaran, 39, said he felt pain in his eyes and ran into the temple to wash his face before realising that his eyes were bleeding.
“There was nothing I could do at the time because my eyes were stinging and it was havoc all around me.
“My leg was also injured,” he added.