A mysterious blast in high-security HAL staff quarters triggered panic among the residents of LB Shastri Nagar in Bengaluru, on Tuesday, June 3. The incident occurred at around 4.30 pm in an open space. The police confirmed that there were no casualties reported.
Upon preliminary investigation by the Anti-Sabotage Squad and Bomb Squad, it was revealed that the blast was triggered due to a gelatin stick. Following the incident, residents had heard a loud blast and even felt tremors in the area.
Here's what one of the residents had to say while speaking to The Hindu.
We felt the ground shake. When we rushed out, we found that part of the mud in the dumping yard had caved in. A plastic water tank near the yard had also been split open.
"The preliminary investigation by the Anti-Sabotage Squad and Bomb Squad revealed that there was no sign of sabotage on the HAL premises and that the blast was due to negligence," DCP (Whitefield) Abdul Ahad was quoted as saying by Deccan Chronicle.
The police claimed that the blast occurred as the laborers had forgotten to take the gelatin sticks back after blasting rocks while digging for the foundation of the quarters. Here's what Ahad said, while speaking to Times of India.
Some laborers had lit fire to the garbage in the area in the evening when the blast occurred. No one was injured and only a huge plastic water tank was damaged.
The impact of the blast also destroyed a water tank near the open field.
The Bomb Detection and Disposal squad was asked to a conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report while a case of negligence has been registered at Bengaluru's HAL police station.
