Parcel containing air pistols explodes in Latur; courier worker critically injured

The incident occurred around 10 am outside Umate International Courier Services in the Udyognagar area

PUNE: A courier parcel containing three air pistols and CO2 cartridges exploded while being unloaded from a delivery vehicle in Latur on Saturday morning, critically injuring a 52-year-old worker.

The injured worker, Nagnath Swami, was initially taken to a government hospital before being shifted to a private hospital. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The incident occurred around 10 am outside Umate International Courier Services in the Udyognagar area. The injured worker, Nagnath Swami, was initially taken to a government hospital before being shifted to a private hospital. He suffered serious injuries to his face and hands.

Latur superintendent of police Amol Tambe said the parcel was dispatched from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on October 29 to Banduk Ghar, a shop dealing in airguns. It had remained inside the courier vehicle, exposed to sunlight, for two days.

“Preliminary investigations suggest that the CO2 cartridges used in air pistols may have exploded due to prolonged exposure to sunlight or friction between the cartridges. However, the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be established,” Tambe said.

The blast blew off parts of the vehicle’s roof, damaged its rear section and shattered the front windshield. Other parcels inside the vehicle were also damaged. The explosion was captured on CCTV cameras in the area.

Police, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the bomb detection and disposal squad and forensic experts rushed to the spot. They collected samples and seized the damaged parcel and other suspicious material for forensic examination.

Police are examining courier records to establish the sender, recipient and contents of the shipment. They are also investigating whether the transportation of the air pistols and CO2 cartridges complied with legal requirements.