Two construction workers lay bleeding from head and facial injuries after a blast ripped through the fifth floor of a multi-storey residential building on Jarmia Road in Pulakeshinagar, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. The structure stood in a state of limbo—partially occupied, partially under construction—when the force of the explosion tore through the upper levels.
Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar admitted to reporters on Wednesday that the administration learned of the incident only after the victims arrived at a hospital. "We have formed multiple teams to find out what exactly happened," he said. The immediate response involved a coordinated sweep by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the Internal Security Division (ISD), and the bomb squad, all rushed to the site to secure the area and inspect the damage.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge addressed the uncertainty surrounding the cause, refusing to jump to conclusions without forensic evidence. "Whether it was a chemical reaction, whether there was an IED, or whatever it may be, we are investigating," Kharge told reporters. He emphasized that the forensic report would be the final arbiter in determining if this was a terror act or an industrial accident.
Debris from the blast site has been collected and sent for detailed analysis. The two injured workers, who have not yet been identified, remain in hospital care. The investigation will now focus on the origin of the explosive material and any potential links to security threats in the city.