Mysuru: Responding to suspicions of foul play in the helium gas cylinder blast reported in front of the historic Mysuru Palace on December 25, Karnataka Minister for Social Welfare and Mysuru district in-charge H.C. Mahadevappa on Friday said there was no reason for concern regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the explosion rose to two, with Manjula, a resident of Nanjangud, succumbing to her injuries on Friday. Doctors said she died of cardiac arrest. Manjula was undergoing treatment at KR Hospital in Mysuru after being admitted late on Thursday night. Saleem, the balloon seller and a resident of Lucknow, died on the spot following the blast.
Minister Mahadevappa visited KR Hospital and met the injured persons. Speaking to the media, he responded to suspicions of foul play and said, “Saleem was doing various jobs for his livelihood. There is no reason for concern for anyone. He was selling ice candies and balloons to earn a living. The gas was prepared using helium powder. Directions have been issued to take action in this regard.”
He said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had collected all relevant details. “It is natural for the NIA to collect information when such an incident occurs. We have no objection to their investigation. This was an accident, and the NIA has already gathered all necessary details,” he stated.
Mahadevappa said the injured were being treated by the government. “The condition of two persons is critical, while others have sustained minor injuries,” he added.
It may be recalled that Karnataka Police had earlier suspected foul play in the helium balloon gas cylinder blast near the Mysuru Palace, with sources stating on Friday that an NIA team was likely to visit the spot.
Preliminary investigations had suggested that the blast, which occurred on Thursday, was not routine or accidental, raising concerns among investigators.
Saleem, who was selling helium balloons near the Jayamartanda Gate in front of the Mysuru Palace, was killed on the spot. Police said the 40-year-old, a native of Uttar Pradesh, had come to Mysuru about 15 days ago and had been selling balloons around the palace for the past week. Local vendors told police they had not seen him earlier.
According to investigators, Saleem was first spotted near the Varaha Gate of the palace around 8.30 p.m., where entry tickets are sold. He later moved to the Jayamartanda Gate, which is usually crowded as it offers a frontal view of the palace. The helium gas cylinder exploded at this location.
It later emerged that Saleem had been staying at Sharif Lodge in Lashkar Mohalla for the past 15 days. Investigators are probing how a balloon vendor could afford to stay at the lodge for such a duration. However, it was found that he was staying there by paying Rs 100 per day.
Due to the intensity of the explosion, Saleem’s body was blown to pieces. Lakshmi from Kamakshipalya in Bengaluru, Manjula from Nanjangud, Shamina Shabil from Kolkata and Kotresh from Ranebennur sustained serious injuries. Among them, Manjula succumbed to her injuries on Friday.
Meanwhile, a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team on Friday collected samples near the Jayamartanda Gate, where the incident occurred. The experts collected blood samples and samples of objects from the blast site.
Police sources said they were not taking any chances, as Mysuru is a major tourist hub and attracts a large number of visitors during the Christmas season and New Year celebrations.
(IANS)
