BENGALURU: A 12-year-old boy died in a gas cylinder explosion at the house of an acquaintance of his family when he had gone there to have lunch. The incident happened at the residence of Prasad, a gas cylinder supplier, behind the Lake View Apartment on Silver County Road in Haralur between 3.30 pm and 6.25 pm on June 21.
The deceased has been identified as J Vikas, a resident of Muneshwara Layout near Kudlu. Prasad was known to Vikas’s family for the last two to three years. Vikas had discontinued his studies and had come to the city with his family from Kalaburagi. Vikas became well acquainted with Prasad and used to go to the later’s house often for lunch. On Saturday afternoon, Vikas went to meet Prasad and the latter invited him for lunch. When Vikas was inside the room, a gas cylinder exploded due to a suspected gas leak. The cylinder hit the boy’s head, disfiguring him completely. Prasad, who was outside the room, escaped unhurt.
Around 4 pm, Prasad called Vikas’s family asking them to come to a private hospital in Koramangala as Vikas was serious. When the family rushed to the hospital, Prasad informed them that Vikas was declared dead on arrival by the doctors. Vikas’s mother, Siddamma, filed a complaint against Prasad on Tuesday (June 24).
“We returned to our native place after the final rites of my brother. We do not have any more details pertaining to my brother’s death,” the victim’s brother told TNIE.
“The family, after conducting the final rites and filing the complaint, returned to Kalaburagi. No arrests have been made yet. Prasad is yet to be questioned. We are also checking if there is any foul play behind the death,” said an officer.