A person was killed while another injured in a chemical explosion in Hyderabad on Sunday, June 12. The incident occurred in Gowliguda under the jurisdiction of the Afzalgunj police station, when two people were allegedly dumping chemicals into a manhole.

According to the police officials, the deceased, identified as Bharath Battad (32) and his father Gopal Battad (56) belonging to Mogurambasthi of Maharaj gunj area had been engaged in trading of unsaturated polyester resin in the locality and worked with certain chemicals. 

According to eyewitnesses, the man and his father were dumping a chemical into the manhole as its validity had expired. They had added water to the can when suddenly, there was a blast, apparently due to some chemical reaction. Bharath succumbed to the explosion while his father Gopal is being treated at Osmania General Hospital for injuries.

Speaking to TNM, one of the investigating officers and Sub Inspector (SI) of Police I Kalpana, said, "A preliminary probe is suggesting that the explosion took place as they both were cleaning a can of unsaturated polyester resin with water. Suddenly, an explosion took place at their shop, which is near their house. Samples were collected from the scene."

The official further said that the use of a heavy amount of water to clean the can in which the chemical was kept could have led to the chemical reaction and a subsequent explosion. Police shifted the body to the nearby Osmania General Hospital for an autopsy. An investigation officer told TNM that a postmortem is being conducted and a case under 174 of the Criminal Procedural Code (CrPC), dealing with suspicious death, has been registered. Police teams gathered clues from the scene. Samples of chemicals were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis.

(With IANS inputs)