A man was seriously injured on Monday, December 26 after a mixer-grinder exploded at a courier office in Karnataka. The incident occurred at the DTDC branch office in Kuvempunagar extension in Hassan district. The owner, Shashi, opened a parcel that had been returned by a customer two days prior, claiming that the address from which it was sent was not correct. When Shashi opened the parcel and tried to test the mixer, the device exploded, severely injuring his right hand and causing injuries to his stomach and face. The blast also shattered the windowpanes of the office, police said.
Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar visited the site of the incident and said, “The preliminary investigation did not raise any suspicion, but the case has been referred to the Forensic Science Lab (FSL) team for further examination.” He said that the FSL team visited the spot and collected samples for investigation.
The SP further added that the exact cause of the blast — whether it was a short circuit or intentional — will be determined after a thorough probe. “The courier delivery in-charge has all the necessary information about the company, the agency that dispatched the mixer, and the address of the customer,” he said.He also told TNM that two persons are being questioned in connection with the case, and that as per preliminary investigation, there seems to be no threat to internal security.
The police said that a case has been registered under Sections 3 (punishment for causing explosion likely to endanger life or property) and 4 (Punishment for attempt to cause explosion) of the Explosive Substances Act. Following the incident, police ordered the closure of all surrounding shops, in the wake of bomb disposal squads reaching the spot.