At least one killed, others injured in ‘onion bomb’ explosion ahead of Diwali celebrations

One person was killed and at least six others were injured on Thursday afternoon in a firecracker mishap. The incident took place in Eluru town of Andhra Pradesh while two men were transporting ‘onion bombs’ for Diwali. The highly explosive firework has repeatedly come under the scanner for their deadly nature over the years.

A senior police official told PTI that the bag containing onion bombs and other crackers had exploded after falling on the road. CCTV footage accessed by NDTV showed two men speeding through a narrow street on a white scooter a little past noon on Wednesday. The bombs fell off after the bike hit a pothole near a local temple and seemingly exploded on impact. 

According to the publication, the bike had exploded while it was approaching the main road — injuring a small group of men standing at the junction. The explosion had covered the entire area in dark grey smoke as bits of paper fluttered around. The driver was killed on the spot while his pillion passengers and others standing on the roadside were admitted to the hospital with injuries. 

Reports suggest that the shipment of Diwali 'bombs' had the same explosive power as an improvised explosive device or IED. According to police, the impact of the blast was so severe that the legs and other body parts of the two-wheeler rider got dismembered. Visuals accessed by the media also showed parts of the bike and body scattered in the background as two men who survived the blast came running out of the smoke.

Two of the victims are said to be in a critical condition with some reports claiming that they later passed away. No official update has been shared on the matter. 

The police have since launched an investigation into the matter.

(With inputs from agencies)