Two hurt in blast on court premises

Judge P. Narayanachar and bench clerk Honnanarasaiahwere were injured in a blast on the premises of the Fifth Fast Track Court in Madhugiri town in Tumkur district around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Mr. Honnanarasaiah sustained severe burns and has been shifted to Tumkur district government hospital.

The blast took place when court staff were disposing of old records by burning them in front of the judge. The police said that explosive material, which was recovered from some accused persons, could have been present in the bundle of old records set on fire.

“I heard the sound of a blast and rushed to the court premises,” advocate P.C. Krishna Reddy told

The Hindu . He said the window panes of the court halls were shattered and the sound of the blast was heard all over the town.

Superintendent of Police Raman Gupta, who visited the spot, said, “It is a small explosion, and we have called ballistics experts and forensics experts from Bangalore. Only after they examine the scene will we know what the type of explosive was.”

A case has been registered in Madhugiri police station.