An explosion in a house at Okkarai village near Thuraiyur in the wee hours on Monday led to the death of one of the occupants of the house besides bringing down the entire building and damaging eight others nearby.
The blast that took place at around 1.15 a.m. shook the village necessitating inspection by scientific experts to ascertain the cause of the explosion and aid the police in their investigation. The deceased identified as B. Sasikumar (40) succumbed to severe burns he sustained in the blast that took place in his house.
Police believe that the blast could have occurred after the domestic gas cylinder in the house might have been deliberately opened causing leakage. Sasikumar who was in the house at the time of the blast was found with severe burns inside.
He was immediately taken to Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital in Tiruchi for higher treatment where he succumbed to burns hours later. Sasikumar’s younger brother son Pranav (6) sustained simple injuries.
Police said Sasikumar was an alcoholic with no proper employment. His wife had got separated from him and he had been staying with his mother and younger brother’s family in the same house.
While Sasikumar and his mother stayed in the ground floor, his brother and family resided in the upper portion of the building. Police said Sasikumar used to frequently demand money from his mother failing which he reportedly threatened to open the domestic gas cylinder and light fire to end his life.
On the day of the incident, Sasikumar’s mother and his brother went out for Samayapuram Poochorithal festival. The blast took place in the early hours brought down the building and damaged eight others nearby.
While five houses suffered extensive damage, the remaining ones were partially damaged, said the police. Police suspect that Sasikumar might have opened the gas cylinder apparently to end his life resulting in leakage and blast. Fire fighters descended on the spot to clear the debris.
The services of scientific officers were requisitioned to ascertain the cause of the blast and aid the police in the investigation. A detective dog trained in sniffing explosive substances was brought to the spot.
The Uppiliapuram police have registered a case under section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on a complaint preferred by Sasikumar’s mother Sumathi.
