Thrissur: A day after the firecracker unit explosion that claimed 14 lives and injured several at Mundathikode, Paramekkavu Devaswom secretary G Rajesh said media reports regarding the illegal storage of firecrackers were “factually incorrect” and defended the licensed operations.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday evening, Rajesh said the licensee had received approval from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and was permitted to manufacture up to 6,000 kg of fireworks over a period of time. “For the past 10 years, three displays of 2,000 kg each have been conducted. The licensee is authorised to manufacture up to 6,000 kg. Action has now been taken alleging that the entire quantity was stored at once, which amounts to witch-hunting,” he said.

He added that the permission had been granted as per directives from the Chief Controller of Explosives, Nagpur, and that display licences are typically issued only shortly before the event. Rajesh said it takes around one-and-a-half months to manufacture the permitted quantity, and criticised the authorities for conducting raids.

He also said devotees have requested that the ‘kudamattam’ (umbrella exchange) and melam (traditional percussion ensemble) be held as usual. “In 2016, when a blast occurred on Paramekkavu premises, the Pooram rituals, including the umbrella exchange, were held as scheduled, while the fireworks display took place two days later,” he said.

“Hence, devotees are of the opinion that the rituals should proceed as usual. We will convey this to the government at the meeting on Thursday,” he added. Emphasising the cultural significance of the rituals, he said devotees contribute to the umbrellas used in the ceremony and are keen to witness the ‘kudamattam’.

Rajesh said a final decision on this year’s celebrations would be taken after discussions with authorities, but indicated that fireworks were unlikely. “Only a symbolic display may be held,” he said. He further noted the manufactured materials would have to be destroyed.

Meanwhile, the Thiruvambady Devaswom has announced a period of mourning till April 24. During this time, only parayadup rituals will be conducted, and decorative lighting will be avoided as a mark of respect. The devaswom said that while celebrations will remain subdued during the mourning period, all traditional rituals—from flag hoisting to flag lowering—will be carried out in accordance with custom, reflecting the collective decision of devotees.

From April 25 and 26, the Thrissur Pooram festivities will be held in their full traditional form, maintaining grandeur but excluding fireworks. All other rituals will proceed with customary splendour. The devaswom also said it will extend maximum possible assistance to those affected by the fireworks disaster.

DNA samples collected
District Collector Shikha Surendran on Wednesday said that DNA samples collected from body parts recovered following the explosion at a fireworks unit in Thrissur will be matched with those of the relatives of missing persons to aid identification.

Samples have been extracted from body parts recovered from the site, along with those from four families whose members have been untraceable. She added that the mother of one of the missing persons is yet to arrive to provide her sample, after which it will be sent for testing.

The results may take up to 10 days, but they are expected to be available within three to four days, she said.

Earlier, the Kerala government convened a special Cabinet meeting and declared the explosion at the unit that manufactured explosives for the Thiruvambady Devaswom for Thrissur Pooram a state disaster. Meanwhile, district authorities issued a stop memo to a unit producing firecrackers for the Paramekkavu Devaswom.

The Cabinet also ordered a judicial probe into the incident, which claimed 14 lives. The meeting, held online under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, decided to appoint a one-member commission headed by Justice C N Ramachandran to investigate the tragedy.

₹14 lakh for the kin of the deceased
The Cabinet also approved a compensation of ₹14 lakh for the families of those killed. Of this, ₹2 lakh will be provided from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), while ₹10 lakh will be sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF).

For the injured, an additional ₹2 lakh will be provided from the CMDRF, over and above SDRF compensation, based on the recommendation of the District Collector. It was also decided that for those requiring treatment beyond six months, expenses in private hospitals would be covered through the CMDRF, subject to recommendations by a medical board.

Instructions have been issued to the State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the burial of bodies and for collecting samples for DNA matching in connection with the disaster.

Briefing the media, Ministers K Rajan and V N Vasavan said that to facilitate search and rescue operations, compound walls of nearby private properties were demolished and paddy fields were levelled. The cost of restoring these to their original condition will be met from the Disaster Response Fund based on the recommendation of the District Collector.

The Cabinet also ratified the earlier decision to allocate ₹50 lakh from the Disaster Response Fund for immediate response. The District Collector has been authorised to utilise this amount for expenses related to rescue and relief operations.

Additionally, the District Collector has been tasked with assessing the damage to nearby houses caused by the explosion and submitting an urgent report to enable the release of funds from the SDRF.

Public urged to report missing persons
Rajan urged the public to inform the district control rooms about any missing persons following the explosion at a fireworks storage facility in Mundathikkodu. He said that if anyone who was present at the site on Tuesday is currently untraceable, the information should be reported immediately, as the list of affected persons will be prepared based on such inputs.

Search operations resumed early Wednesday at the blast site, with police deploying cadaver dogs—specially trained to detect human remains—to comb through the debris. Bomb squad sniffer dogs are also being used to locate unexploded explosives that may still be hidden in the wreckage.

Officials said more unexploded fireworks continue to be recovered. Search teams have expanded operations to nearby “thuruth” areas—small island-like patches amid paddy fields where the unit was located—to scan for explosives and possible human remains.

Meanwhile, ministers M B Rajesh and K Rajan visited the site and reviewed the ongoing rescue and search efforts with officials.

Police form special teams
Director General of Police Ravada A Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said special teams have been constituted to investigate the explosion at the fireworks unit.

Briefing the media, he said a major investigation team has been formed under the Thrissur Police Commissioner to probe the incident. In addition, a separate special team led by the Thrissur City ACP (Crime Branch) has also been set up.

He added that police are interacting with survivors to gather evidence and ascertain how many people were present at the site at the time of the blast. The exact number of injured and casualties, he said, will be confirmed after further verification.

Autopsy of five bodies completed
Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday said that autopsies of five bodies have been completed, while nine intact bodies were recovered following the explosion at a fireworks storage facility linked to the Thrissur Pooram at Mundathikkodu in Thalappilly taluk.

Addressing the media, the minister said 14 body parts were also retrieved from the site, adding that it remains unclear how many individuals they belong to.

She further said that two persons with 98 per cent burn injuries are on ventilator support and remain in a critical condition. “They have undergone CT scans to assess internal organ damage,” she said. In addition, 10 injured persons are undergoing treatment in the ICU of Thrissur Medical College, with the condition of five among them reported to be critical.

Meanwhile, the Thrissur Collector said that the bodies of three identified victims have been handed over to their relatives.

The minister noted that the exact number of injured is expected to be confirmed after further searches at the blast site. She also said several people are still searching for their missing relatives at hospitals, fearing they may be among those in critical care.

Highlighting the challenges in identifying the deceased, Veena George said that unlike incidents such as the Wayanad landslide, the bodies in this case are severely charred, making identification difficult. “We may not be able to identify all the bodies,” she said.

She added that experts have expressed concern that post-mortem procedures could further complicate identification. As a result, it has been recommended that autopsies be conducted after identification wherever possible.

DNA samples from relatives of the missing will be collected and matched with the remains, following which the bodies will be handed over to families.

Experts from the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology are expected to arrive in Thrissur at 9 am on Wednesday to assist in and finalise further identification procedures.

According to official figures, 14 people have died in the incident, while 10 are undergoing treatment. Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan said 10 of the injured are currently in the ICU. Initially, 14 people were hospitalised; one has since been shifted to a private hospital, while three have been discharged.

He added that the government has not yet announced compensation for the victims due to the enforcement of the Election Code of Conduct, and will take a decision after consulting the Election Commission of India.

The minister also said that a meeting will be held with the Paramekkavu Devaswom and Thiruvambady Devaswom on Thursday to decide on the conduct of fireworks for the Thrissur Pooram.

Earlier, secretaries of both Devaswoms had stated that they would abide by the government’s decision. They also ruled out sabotage, with Thiruvambady Devaswom official Gireesh Kumar stating that no illegal chemicals were used in the fireworks.