BIDAR: At least six people, including four children, were seriously injured after an unidentified object exploded in Molakera village, Humnabad taluk of Bidar district on Saturday. This is the third such incident in the village in recent times.
Official sources said the condition of two of the injured -- Anwar Jamir Sab (19) and Jabbar Razak (60) -- is critical. The other four injured children have been identified as Busera Alauddin (4), Areez Razak Sab (4), Arzan Razak (7) and Mastan Musa (8). They were given first-aid at the Humnabad Government Hospital and then shifted to Mallareddy Hospital in the neighbouring Hyderabad for further treatment.
A few months ago, a school student had lost his leg in a similar explosion. He had stepped on an object and it exploded. Several villagers said that even last week, they heard a loud noise. "This is the third explosion in Morakera in recent times. The police and local officials are yet to ascertain the reason behind repeated blasts,'' a source said.
A team of officials visited the accident spot and gathered information from different sources. Chemical substances were found at the blast site and it is suspected that the explosion may have been caused by empty hydrogen peroxide and thinner tins that had been dumped at the spot after a nearby house was painted. A team of officials collected several objects at the site, sources said.
Kalaburagi IGP Shantanu Sinha visited the village and held a discussion with Bidar SP Pradeep Gunte. Bidar Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Sharma met the injured at Hyderabad Mallareddy Hospital.
Expressing shock, Bidar district in-charge Minister Eshwar B Khandre ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation. He directed the district administration to ensure prompt and appropriate medical treatment for all the injured and to bear the entire cost of their treatment.
He instructed the superintendent of police to rush to the spot along with an explosives testing expert to collect samples from the blast site and examine the nature of the explosion. He sought a detailed probe into the cause of the blast, the material used, how the explosive substance came to be at the location and the purpose for which it was placed there.
Emphasising that public safety cannot be compromised, Khandre directed officials to fix responsibility and initiate strict legal action against those found guilty. Security in the area has been tightened as investigations continue, while the incident has triggered fear and concern among local residents, particularly parents of school-going children.