A 28-year-old man sustained 60% burn injuries when low-intensity explosives he was making - meant for films - went off accidentally inside a house at Krishnanagar of Jubilee Hills on Friday. Ashok of Tuni, Andhra Pradesh, was admitted to a hospital and his condition is said to be critical. Police said the blast occurred around 6.45 a.m., causing thick smoke and triggering panic in the locality. The victim was illegally preparing low-intensity explosives for use in film productions.
“The injured was working for B. Balakrishna (32), a native of Srikakulam, who was illegally supplying low-intensity explosives to the Telugu film industry for the past eight years,” said R. Rama Krishna, sub-inspector, Jubilee Hills.
He said Balakrishna residing in Indira Nagar in Banajara Hills and rented a room on the first floor of a two-storey building at Krishnanagar.
“He took this room on rent five years ago and used to dump all explosives and raw materials there,” Mr. Rama Krishna said.
Due to the intensity of the blast, walls at several portions in the building collapsed. Home appliances in other buildings in the vicinity were also damaged, the SI said.
“Balakrishna is absconding and we have questioned his family members,” he said.
The police arrested V. Prakash, owner of the building for renting out the house to Balakrishna.
“Prakash was aware of the illegal activities, but did not bother to lodge a complaint,” the SI said, adding that the material used to make the explosive is yet to be identified.
