One person was killed on the spot in a blast at a tea shop in Uthangarai Bazaar on Krishnagiri Road around 6.20 p.m. on Monday.
The shop was destroyed in the blast while a woman aged around 60 years escaped with minor injuries, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Uthangarai, V. Kasi Viswanathan said.
Mr. Viswanathan told The Hindu that two persons, including a man carrying the country bomb came to the tea shop of T. Kanthalakshmi (60) on the Krishnagiri National Highway. The bomb accidently went off when one of them stepped on it from a bench after having tea. He was killed on the spot.
The identity of the man was not known immediately and in the impact of the blast his body parts were strewn around. The other man who came along with him fled. Doctors said that Ms. Kanthalakshmi's ear drum had been affected. They referred her to a hospital in Salem.
The duo came on a bike with registration number TN 23 AQ 5727. The police ruled out the use of gelatine sticks or other high-intensity explosives. They said the country made bomb, weighing about one kg, is generally used for killing wild boars invading fields. Forensic experts are collecting samples from the place of blast.
Abishek Dixit, SP, and R. Sathish, Revenue Divisional Officer rushed to the spot.
