Deadly explosion in Jorhat’s Rajamaidam area leaves two people dead, one child critical

Jorhat (Assam) [India], March 28 (ANI): A tragic incident occurred in a residential colony of Jorhat district, which left two people dead and several others injured. The disaster has triggered widespread panic across the locality.
According to initial reports, a man identified as Noor Mohammad died on the spot after the blast. The explosion was so intense that his body was severely mutilated, indicating the magnitude of the impact.
Two children were also critically injured in the incident: an eight-year-old boy, Mohammad Iqbal, and a 12-year-old girl, Sehnaj Begum. Both were rushed to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital for emergency treatment. However, the condition of the boy deteriorated, and he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The girl remains in critical condition and is currently battling for her life.
In addition, a woman named Noorjahan Begum also sustained minor injuries in the explosion. Police teams reached the spot soon after the incident and launched an investigation.
According to Jorhat SSP Subrajyoti Bora, authorities initially suspected a cylinder blast; however, upon arriving at the scene, that cause was ruled out. Based on local witness statements, the deceased, Noor Mohammad, collected various scrap materials and was likely dismantling some items when the explosion occurred.
"I initially received the information over the phone that there was a cylinder blast. But afterwards, we've come to know that although the initial information was a cylinder blast, it probably was not be a cylinder blast at all. So after visiting the site, we have visualised that there was a small crater type of a thing just below the location where the blast has taken place and from the statements of the local people, we have come to know that this expired person, Noor Muhammad, he used to work as a worker of a scrap-dump yard and he used to collect various types of materials. So today also, after completing his task, he has deposited all the other materials in the scrap yard, and probably a few items were taken by him to his home where he thought of dismantling those items in order to find some base metals like copper, etc," said Bora.
"He probably must have been dismantling the item with the help of a hammer and he had heard the sounds repeatedly, beating the item with the hammer. And suddenly when the process was going on, a loud explosion had taken place and unfortunately, the person died and in the same process, two small children were also playing in the location and both of them got injured and very unfortunately, one of the small children has also lost his life," added Bora.
However, the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined. Authorities are examining all possible angles to ascertain what led to the blast.
The incident has created a tense atmosphere in the area, with residents expressing fear and concern over safety.
Further details are awaited. (ANI)