Explosive Blast in Kerala Injures Two, Investigation Launched

Palakkad, Kerala - September 5 (PTI): Kerala Police have initiated an investigation into the origins of the explosives responsible for a blast at a residence in Mangode, located in this northern district of Kerala, which resulted in injuries to two individuals, officials reported on Friday. The Pudunagaram police have filed a case following a complaint lodged by Rasheed, a neighbor of Abdul Hakeem, whose house was the site of the explosion on Thursday. The blast injured his daughter-in-law and her brother. According to police, the case has been registered under section 3(a) of the Explosive Substances Act for maliciously causing an explosion and section 4(a) of the same act for conspiring to cause an explosion. The FIR notes that an unidentified individual placed the explosives at Hakeem’s residence, leading to the injury of his daughter-in-law, Shahna, and her brother, Sherif.

Sherif sustained 40 percent burns, while Shahna suffered only minor injuries. The two are currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital, according to police sources. Police officials indicated that an exhaustive investigation is being conducted since no additional explosives were located at the house. The authorities are also determining if any other parties were involved in the incident. The initial inquiry suggested that the explosives, intended for hunting wild boar, were the cause of the explosion.

In a related development, BJP leaders alleged that Sherif and his family had ties with the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI). However, the SDPI has refuted this allegation, stating that Sherif was expelled from their party several months ago. --