GANGTOK, April 24: The high Capital of the celebrated peaceful state shook to an unprecedented explosion early morning today leaving a wave of panic among the residents of Pani House and Deorali.
The crashing sound echoed on 5 am today from Hotel Hill Top at Pani House, Gangtok ensuing LPG cylinder leakage drawing its roots from the negligence on the part of staffs employed at the hotel. The explosion shattered the window panes of the kitchen along with the store-room windows placed adjacent to the kitchen in the ground floor of the hotel.
Senior officials of Sikkim Police visited the place to ascertain whether or not the reason behind the mass confusion among the people was due to the use of any explosives by miscreant group or anti-social elements. Sikkim Police dog squads and forensic experts from Crime Branch also inspected the place, but so far no evidence came to light that can confirm the use of explosives or any foul play behind the incident.
Primary investigation reveals that the shocking sound could have been produced from the Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinder leakage owing to negligence on the part of deployed cooks the previous night. However, no cylinders or stove were identified to be busted out.
It is said that the cooks might have forgotten to switch off a LPG cylinder previous night and on the next day somebody might have used some igniting substances inside the kitchen filled with inflammable LPG gas.
In the incident, RS Mani (an escorted cook of a tourist group from Chennai lodging in the same hotel) sustained 40% burns and is presently under treatment at Manipal Hospital. While another cook of the hotel, Dhanapal sustained minor injuries. According to the Manager of Hotel Hill Top, the hotel situated beside NH 31A was packed with nearly 28 tourists from Tamil Nadu.
Calling a press conference later today at Police Headquarters, DIG (Range) Akshay Sachdeva confirmed the incident as accident ruling out any possibilities of foul play. “We have called on experts from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to help the police in investigating the case and find out all logical reasons behind the occurrence of the same”, Sachdeva informed.
Meanwhile, a case was registered at Sadar Police Station under section 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matters) and 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
However, no arrests have been made so far against the incident. “We are still investigating the matter as who should be held responsible for the incident – wheather the owner of the hotel, the manager or any deployed staffs at the hotel. If anyone amongst them is found responsible behind the crime, the accused will be put behind the bars”, the DIG (Range) assured.
The crashing sound echoed on 5 am today from Hotel Hill Top at Pani House, Gangtok ensuing LPG cylinder leakage drawing its roots from the negligence on the part of staffs employed at the hotel. The explosion shattered the window panes of the kitchen along with the store-room windows placed adjacent to the kitchen in the ground floor of the hotel.
Senior officials of Sikkim Police visited the place to ascertain whether or not the reason behind the mass confusion among the people was due to the use of any explosives by miscreant group or anti-social elements. Sikkim Police dog squads and forensic experts from Crime Branch also inspected the place, but so far no evidence came to light that can confirm the use of explosives or any foul play behind the incident.
Primary investigation reveals that the shocking sound could have been produced from the Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinder leakage owing to negligence on the part of deployed cooks the previous night. However, no cylinders or stove were identified to be busted out.
It is said that the cooks might have forgotten to switch off a LPG cylinder previous night and on the next day somebody might have used some igniting substances inside the kitchen filled with inflammable LPG gas.
In the incident, RS Mani (an escorted cook of a tourist group from Chennai lodging in the same hotel) sustained 40% burns and is presently under treatment at Manipal Hospital. While another cook of the hotel, Dhanapal sustained minor injuries. According to the Manager of Hotel Hill Top, the hotel situated beside NH 31A was packed with nearly 28 tourists from Tamil Nadu.
Calling a press conference later today at Police Headquarters, DIG (Range) Akshay Sachdeva confirmed the incident as accident ruling out any possibilities of foul play. “We have called on experts from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to help the police in investigating the case and find out all logical reasons behind the occurrence of the same”, Sachdeva informed.
Meanwhile, a case was registered at Sadar Police Station under section 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matters) and 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
However, no arrests have been made so far against the incident. “We are still investigating the matter as who should be held responsible for the incident – wheather the owner of the hotel, the manager or any deployed staffs at the hotel. If anyone amongst them is found responsible behind the crime, the accused will be put behind the bars”, the DIG (Range) assured.
Times of India :The personal cook of a family of tourists was injured in a blast in the kitchen of a hotel here on Tuesday. A leaking LPG cylinder was the reason for the blast that partially burnt the kitchen and smashed the windows of some of adjoining rooms, DIG (Range) Akshay Sachdeva said. Cook S Mani, who accompanied the family of tourists from Chennai, was admitted to the Central Referral Hospital at Tadong with over 50 per cent burns.
