A 60-year-old man was critically injured after an explosive device used in temple rituals accidentally ignited and exploded at his house in Kattaikonam on Sunday.
The incident took place around 11 am when the injured person, Balakrishnan, a temple employee, kept a batch of firecracker mixture for drying in his house. During this time, someone near the house was cutting an iron bar with a metal cutter. Sparks from the tool are suspected to have landed on a flammable substance and ignited it to cause the explosion.
While the blast was initially thought to be a gas cylinder explosion, neighbors later realized that the fire originated from an explosive device stored in the house.
Balakrishnan was alone in the house at the time of the blast. He suffered severe burns and was admitted to Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital.
While no one else was injured and no significant property damage was reported, police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Published – 23 Nov 2025 19:27 IST
