UP: panic near Taj Mahal after blast kills 2 in Agra

Panic gripped the area around the Taj Mahal in Agra on Thursday after blast at a scrap dealer’s house killed two persons and injured another. HT reports.

Panic gripped the area around the Taj Mahal in Agra on Thursday after blast at a scrap dealer’s house killed two persons and injured another.

Those killed included scrap dealer Sobran Singh’s son Ram Niwas (26), his relative Chotu (20) while his wife Maya Devi (50) was injured.

Prima facie, it appeared the explosion occurred when the deceased were trying to dismantle a discarded mortar shell to extract copper from it.

"There was a loud explosion at around 10.15 am. People rushed to the house and found a wall shattered because of the impact of the blast," said Rohit Pal Singh Baghel, a lawyer residing in Gobar Chowki area under Tajganj police station. Niwas and Chotu had died on the spot.

Senior police officials, including senior superintendent of police (SSP) Subhash Chandra Dubey, and a few members of the bomb disposal squad reached the spot and started investigation.