6 persons, including two sons of ex-SP MLA booked after explosion at his residence in UP
Farrukhabad (UP) (PTI): Police probing an explosion at a former SP MLA's residence in Farrukhabad have booked his two sons, among others, officials said on Wednesday.
Five people were injured in the blast that occurred on Tuesday evening, reportedly due to the presence of explosive material in the basement at Vijay Singh's house, who is currently serving a life sentence in the murder case of senior BJP leader Brahmadutt Dwivedi, they said.
According to eyewitnesses, the powerful explosion that took place around 8 pm damaged doors, windows, grills and parts of the structure up to the third floor, police said, adding that six people have been booked in connection to the incident.
Police have booked Avinash and Abhishek, both sons of the ex-SP MLA, among others, for their alleged involvement in manufacturing explosives.
According to the FIR lodged by Sub-Inspector Imran Farid of the City Kotwali police station, two severely burnt youths were spotted being taken to the hospital in an e-rickshaw.
Police questioned the injured Avinash and Abhishek, and acting on the information, police rushed to the spot.
Officials said the floor of the house was completely damaged, the basement ceiling had caved in, and debris was scattered all around.
The injured in the incident include Bhaiyalal, Ishu Chaurasia, Ramveer Yadav and Rashu Mishra. They were rushed to the hospital with the help of local residents.
Police said preliminary investigation confirmed the presence of explosive material in the basement. Initial findings suggest that explosive substances may have been illegally stored or manufactured at the premises, leading to the blast.
Senior district officials reached the spot soon after the incident and conducted an inspection. A forensic team from Kanpur was later called in to examine the site in detail.
Police have registered a case against the named accused and launched a thorough investigation. Officials said strict action will be taken based on the findings.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
