BHOPAL: A possible obsession with making social media reels may have triggered a powerful blast at a flat in a seven-story building in Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh, during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
The explosion, triggered by an LPG cylinder leak in a first-floor flat of The Legacy Plaza building, left Ranjana Jat and her 38-year-old relative, Anil Jat, with severe burn injuries around 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday.The blast not only destroyed Ranjana Jat’s one-bedroom flat but also caused major structural cracks in at least eight other flats in the B Block of the multi-story complex on Bhind Road.
Authorities investigating the explosion have uncovered evidence suggesting that the incident may have been linked to an attempt at creating social media content. Videos and images retrieved from Anil Jat’s phone reportedly show Ranjana Jat deliberately releasing gas from an LPG cylinder while Anil filmed the act.
According to Gwalior Superintendent of Police Dharamvir Singh, Anil, in his statement before an executive magistrate, admitted that he had gone to Ranjana’s flat specifically to record videos and photos. During the process, he accidentally switched on the light, which is believed to have caused a spark that triggered the devastating blast.
In light of these findings, authorities have registered a case under Section 287 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with negligence in handling fire or combustible substances. The investigation is ongoing, with officials also examining possible structural flaws in the building that led to extensive damage beyond the affected flat.