Kanpur blast: Police say no terror angle, SHO among five suspended

Refuting the sabotage allegations, the police said the blast was triggered by the explosive materials used in firecrackers, adding that 12 suspects have been detained.

“The blast was caused by the explosives used in firecrackers, which were found close to the spot. A huge cache of explosive materials used for illegally manufacturing the crackers was also found 25 metres away from where the blast occurred,” commissioner  Lal said.

“We have detained 12 suspects and efforts are on to catch other accused involved,” Lal added further.

“The station house officer (SHO) of the concerned Moolganj police station, where the blast took place and four other policemen have also been suspended for being unaware of illegal storage of the explosive materials. The ACP of the concerned area has also been removed from the post,” Lal added. “There is no terror angle,” said the commissioner, adding that the claims made by organisations like Khalistan Zindabad Force taking responsibility for the blast are “completely false and misleading”.

The police informed that four out of the eight victims who had sustained serious injuries during the explosion, are undergoing treatment in Lucknow hospitals.

Two others have been admitted in a Kanpur hospital while two persons were discharged after they were given first aid, said the police.

According to the police, one of the scooters involved in the blast was reported to be stolen months ago and details are being collected regarding the same. The incident had occurred at 7.15 pm outside a toys shop at Mishri Bazar in Kanpur’s Moolganj area, said the police.

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