Two persons, including the Chairman of the Sivaganga Municipality P Murugan of the DMK, were killed and ten injured when a powerful bomb explosion ripped through his car in front of the Municipal Office near the town bus stand on Friday.
Police, quoting eyewitnesses, said the bomb exploded the moment Murugan got into the car around 1.30 pm after finishing his morning work at the office.
Ten passengers of a Madurai-bound bus which passed by that way at the time of the explosion were injured as parts of the car hit them, they said.
The explosion was so powerful that the roof of the car broke into pieces and flew away.
Murugan, whose legs were blown away, and his driver Pandi were rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital at Madurai but died on the way.
The seriously injured bus passengers, who were admitted to the Sivaganga Government Hospital, had been shifted to the Rajaji Hospital after first aid, hospital sources said.
It was a gory scene at the site of the explosion as flesh and parts of bodies were found sprayed all over.
Tension prevailed in the town and all shops in and around bus stand had been closed following the incident.
{{/usCountry}}Tension prevailed in the town and all shops in and around bus stand had been closed following the incident.
{{/usCountry}}The schools in the town had also been closed.
District Collector MA Siddique visited the spot and arranged for rushing the injured persons to the hospital.
Police had been deployed around the town at all sensitive points and were monitoring the situation, police said.