12-yr-old boy killed, two hurt in accidental blast
Victims were trying to convert a lump of potassium into powder to make gunshot sounds for celebrating village volleyball team’s win
AMRITSAR: A 12-year-old boy was killed and two others were injured when a blast occurred at Kotla Kazian village in Ajnala subdivision of Punjab on Sunday night.
Police said Sukhjit Singh died on the spot, while his friend Tarundeep Singh, also 12, and Sandeep Singh, 20, were injured.
Police sources said the explosion took place when the boys were trying to convert a lump of potassium into a powder at village resident Sakattar Singh’s house for using it to create celebratory firing sounds. Sakattar
Singh’s son, Mohit, 17, had bought 500gm of potassium from Fatehgarh Churian for ₹200.
Superintendent of police (SP, investigation) Manoj Thakur said they have sent a team to arrest the person from whom the potassium was bought.
The sources said a team of the village had won a volleyball tournament and the boys wanted to celebrate by creating gunshot sounds using the potassium powder. A makeshift weapon was made using a hollow iron road.
Police have detained Mohit for questioning regarding the procurement of the chemical. Sources said Mohit was not around when the blast took place.
Station house officer (SHO) of Ajnala police station Mukhtiar Singh said they have registered a case under Section 304 (culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Mohit who had allegedly procured the potassium.
In February 2020, two boys aged 12 and 18 years old were killed and 10 injured when potassium stocked in a tractortrailer to create celebratory sounds during a nagar kirtan (religious procession) caught fire and exploded at Palasaur village of Tarn Taran district.