Three killed in explosion at Bareilly manjha making unit

The explosion occurred when workers were readying a mixture of ‘gandhak potash’ or potassium sulphate to be mixed with powdered glass for coating kite strings

Three people were killed in an explosion at a kite string manufacturing unit in the Qila area of Bareilly district on Friday morning.

(For representation)

The unit owner was among the three killed in the explosion, which occurred when workers were readying a mixture of ‘gandhak potash’ or potassium sulphate to be mixed with powdered glass for coating kite strings or ‘manjha’, confirmed senior police officials.

However, police were uncertain of what caused the explosion.

They said the blast was so intense that the bodies were badly bruised and the hand of one of the deceased got separated from his body. People in the vicinity panicked as the factory surrounds crowded Bakarganj residential locality that falls under the Qila police station limits.

Bareilly circle officer (City-II) Sandeep Singh said manjha manufacturing unit owner Atiq Raza (45) and two of his workers, Mohd Faizan (27) and Mohd Sartaj (24), were killed in the blast. The police control room got information about a possible cylinder blast, but no evidence of a cylinder was found at the spot, he added.

“Primary examination and the questioning of locals confirmed that the blast happened when the workers were preparing a mixture of potassium sulphate and ground glass to prepare ‘manjha’. In the past, we have never come across any such incident occurring due to the mixture. Forensic experts are examining the spot and collecting samples to ascertain the exact reason behind the blast,” the CO added.

Retired professor Padam Kant, who taught at the University of Lucknow, said some other material or chemical might have been used in the mixture that caused the explosion. “Proper examination of the mixture and spot examination can reveal the mystery behind the blast,” he added.

The CO added that the bodies had been sent for a postmortem examination and the manufacturing unit was sealed off so that all evidence related to the incident could be preserved for further scientific examination.