Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 9 : At least eight people were injured on Wednesday when two scooters exploded in the Mulganj area of Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, officials said, prompting a full-scale investigation by police and forensic teams.
Police Commissioner Raghuveer Lal suspected that the blast may have been caused by crackers or some nefarious activities, adding that all angles were being investigated.
"At first glance, this blast may have been caused by crackers or some nefarious activities. We are investigating every angle. Forensic team, ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad), BDDS (Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad), and our officers are present at the scene," he told ANI.
Of the eight people injured in the scooter blast at a toy market in Mishri Bazaar, four sustained minor injuries, while the other four were referred to a higher centre in Lucknow for treatment.
"At 1:15 AM, an incident occurred in a toy market in Mishri Bazaar, Mulganj. Two scooters exploded. A shop, Abdullah's shop, was also damaged. This is a densely populated residential area of a particular community. A woman, a ragpicker, was seriously injured. Eight people were injured, four with minor injuries. Two have gone home from the hospital. Two are under observation. Four have been referred to a higher centre in Lucknow," Commissioner Lal said.
He added that one scooter was registered to Ashwini Kumar, who was among the injured, while the second vehicle belonged to Vijender Rastogi, who has not yet been contacted.
Officials inspected the two parked scooters, where a blast occurred in the Mishri Bazaar area under the Mulganj police station on Wednesday. Forensic, Bomb Detection and Disposal, Anti-Terrorism, and Special Task Force teams are at the site. Pedestrians standing nearby were also injured and admitted to the Ursula Hospital in Kanpur.
Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) Ashutosh Kumar said, "In the Mishri Bazaar area under the Mulganj police station, two scooters were parked today, in which a blast occurred. The incident occurred around 7:15 PM. People are injured, including one woman. All are undergoing treatment and are out of danger."
He added, "Our forensic team is present at the scene, and we are investigating what could be the cause of this. We have traced the scooter, and inquiries will also be made with those who were riding it. Whether this is an accident or a conspiracy will only be known later."
Further investigation is underway.