1 of 2 Injured Men Shifted To Victoria’s Burns Ward
The building where the blast took place
Bengaluru: A mysterious explosion inside an under-construction flat in east Bengaluru’s Pulikeshinagar has triggered a multi-agency investigation, with police suspecting that the materials involved were similar to those in a crude bomb.The blast, which injured two men Tuesday afternoon, has raised questions about how the device reached the site.City police, Internal Security Division (ISD), Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have joined the probe to establish the nature and cause of the explosion.A senior police officer told TOI that preliminary findings suggested the blast was not the kind of accidental electrical short circuit commonly reported in the city. The materials involved appeared similar to those used in a crude bomb, the officer said. Personal enmity was among the possible motives being explored.The explosion occurred in a fifth-floor flat where interior work was under way in a building owned by Abdul Rehman on Jeremiah Road. The injured were identified as Suraj Kumar, 23, a security guard, and Allauddin, 25, who was also present at the site.According to police sources, Suraj suffered injuries to one finger, an eye and his right hand, apart from burns on his face and neck. Allauddin also sustained burns on his face and neck. Both were initially taken to Bowring Hospital. Wednesday, Allauddin was discharged, while Suraj was shifted to Victoria Hospital.Initial statements from the injured men indicated that they had found a small, battery-like object lying on the street and brought it to the construction site out of curiosity. The device allegedly exploded when Suraj pressed a button on it. Investigators are, however, examining their accounts, which have reportedly contained contradictions.Police were alerted about the incident only Tuesday evening, when Bowring Hospital issued a medico-legal certificate to Pulikeshinagar police.Police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said several families lived in the building, where the explosion occurred in a vacant flat undergoing interior work.Police have recorded statements from the building owner and other occupants. The antecedents of the two injured men, who are from different states, are also being verified.Asked whether the incident could be terror-related, Singh said it was too early to draw conclusions. He assured residents there was no reason for panic.Home minister Priyank Kharge also urged the public not to pay heed to rumours until investigators received concrete findings.
