Two killed in blast in Odisha’s steel city

Reported by Malay Ray
Rourkela, Feb 2:

Two persons were killed in a blast inside a house at Bisra-Dahar Road area in  Odisha’s Steel city this morning.

blast

The two killed have been identified as Ghaman Lal Agarwal (40) and Bideshi (35), a resident of Madhusudanpali here.

The mishap occurred at about 11.15 am when Ghaman Lal, nephew of Durga Prasad Agarwal, who owns a crusher unit, went into the house, with Bideshi.

Neighbours hear a loud blast soon after the two went in and rushed to the house only to find Ghaman Lal and Bideshi completely burnt.

They were rushed to the Ispat General Hospital, but were delared dead on arrival.

No one else was injured in the blast, which was heard more than a kilometer away, sources said. But the roof of the house was blown off and all articles in the house destroyed in the blast, they added.

A police team, led by Rourkela SP AK Singh, rushed to the place with a scientific team and is conducting an investigation to find clues to the blast.

A large quantity of gelatin sticks and detonators were recovered from the house, which was being used as a godown to store these materials.

“We have seized 570 litres of gelatin and 375 detonators from the place. We are trying to ascertain whether these materials were used in the crusher unit or for some other purpose,” Uditnagar IIC SN Muduli said.

The recovery of such a large quantity of explosive material has raised suspicion that it could be a case of illegal assembly of bomb making material for illegal mining or other criminal activities, sources in the police said.

Incidentally, the deceased Ghaman Lal had been arrested by Brahamani Tarang police for illegally trading in explosive material, sources in Rourkela police said.

The suspicion that the explosives may have been intended to be used for illegal mining is strengthened by the fact Agarwal, who lives next to the place where the blast took place, is in the mining business.

 

 

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1 Comment
  1. Mahendra Mishra says

    Bisra Road area – This should be Bisra – Dahar Road because Bisra – Dahar Road is around 3KM far from Bisra Road. Bisra road is near Bisra Chowk whereas Bisra Dahar Road is in heart of the town. Apart from this Bisra-dahar road is more populated than Bisra Road. On the other way Bisra-dahar road is more sensitive place than bisra Road.

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