Berhampur (Orissa): At least four persons were killed and 13 others injured on Sunday in a powerful explosion at a house in Purushottampur, 50 km from here, police said. The explosion took place at Nuapalli village around 2 a.m. when some people were allegedly making crude bombs in a rented house near the site of local 'danda dance' festival, Ganjam district Superintendent of Police Nitinjit Singh said. Soon after the bomb under preparation went off accidentally, other finished bombs and explosives caught fire, triggering a massive explosion, he said.
The explosion was so powerful that the building collapsed under its impact, while some nearby houses were also damaged, the police said. The victims were mostly those present at the festival site.
While one of those engaged in making bombs was injured, his associates escaped unhurt as they ran away soon after the first blast, the police said. The injured were admitted to the MKCG Medical College Hospital, where the condition of six of them was stated to be critical.
Four persons were arrested. A bomb disposal squad was pressed into service.