‘Exhibit’ explosive goes off at Patna court, S-I injured

According to police, the incident took place around 1.30 pm when sub-inspector Umakant Rai, posted at the Kadamkuan police station in Patna, came to the court with the seized gunpowder.

A police sub-inspector was injured on Friday after explosives seized from a Patna University hostel a few days ago, which he had brought as an exhibit to a court for its directions, blasted off at the office of a public prosecutor where he had kept it, police said.

The injured policeman at the Patna Medical College and Hospital on Friday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

According to police, the incident took place around 1.30 pm when sub-inspector Umakant Rai, posted at the Kadamkuan police station in Patna, came to the court with the seized gunpowder. “As he kept it on a table in the PP office, it went off. The sub-inspector received injuries on his right hand. The blast triggered a panic at the Patna Civil Court premises,” said a police official.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) M S Dhillon, who rushed to the spot, said, “The sub-inspector has been discharged from the hospital after treatment.”

Rai later said the explosive powder that exploded was recovered from Patel hostel on Sunday and he had brought it to the court for further proceedings.