Shimla eatery blast: LPG leak led to explosion, says forensic report

The investigation into the blast was conducted by a special investigation team (SIT) of Shimla police, while the National Security Guard’s National Bomb Data Centre is carrying out a separate post-blast investiga

A forensic report has revealed LPG leak to be behind the blast at an eatery here on July 18 which killed one person and injured 13 others.

On July 18, one person was killed and 13 others were injured in a blast at an eatery in Shimla. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

The investigation into the blast was conducted by a special investigation team (SIT) of Shimla police, while the National Security Guard’s National Bomb Data Centre is carrying out a separate post-blast investigation.

Shimla superintendent of police (SP) Sanjeev Gandhi said during the course of police investigation, an expert team of SFSL Junga visited the spot on the day of the incident and later to collect evidences, which helped in determining the reason behind the explosion.

“State Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, in its expert report based upon the evidence collected on the spot of incident has confirmed that the explosion was due to the LPG gas leak,” said the SP.

He said report also states that no evidence was found on the spot to link it to a terror activity. In case of blast carried out by someone fragments of material like detonator and timer devices are found in the debris.

The SP said there clear signs of LPG leakage which was also confirmed by the injured and witnesses. The SP said the restaurant was undergoing a maintenance work in the entry before the incident and no third person had access to it apart from the owner and his workers.

The CCTV footage also supports the police investigation as no unidentified person was seen entering or exiting the place.

The SP said the SIT will conduct further carry out investigation in the case in consonance with the forensic report.