Two people were injured, one of them seriously, when a parcel exploded on Saturday morning, October 31, while workers were unloading a courier tempo at the Umate Couriers office in Latur, Maharashtra.
Source: Gyan Hi Gyan
The tempo had arrived from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and the blast occurred around 10 am as parcels were being unloaded on Vilasrao Deshmukh Marg. District Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe said an employee who was inside the vehicle suffered severe injuries and was admitted to hospital in Latur, while another person standing near the vehicle sustained minor injuries.
Source: Particle News
CO2 cylinder suspected, cause not confirmed
Preliminary police inquiries suggest the explosion may have been caused by a carbon dioxide (CO2) cylinder used in an air pistol that was inside the parcel, which had reportedly been sent from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and left on the footpath outside the office for two days. Police suspect prolonged exposure to heat may have triggered the cylinder, but this remains a hypothesis and the exact cause will be known only after the forensic report.
Forensic teams, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and a bomb disposal squad reached the spot, cordoned off the area and collected evidence, while CCTV footage of the moment is being examined. Police said the investigation has not confirmed any conspiracy or intentional attack, and SP Tambe urged people not to spread rumours about the incident.
In a further development, Rediff reported on Sunday that four people, including gun shop owners, have been booked in connection with the blast. Those booked are accused, not convicted, and further details of the case are awaited from Latur police.