Death toll rises to 3 in helium cylinder blast near Mysuru Palace
Mysuru (PTI): The death toll in the helium cylinder blast that occurred near the Mysuru Palace has risen to three, police said on Saturday.
Lakshmi (29), a resident of Kamakshipalya in Bengaluru, succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment in KR Hospital, taking the toll to three, late on Friday, police officials said.
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She had suffered grievous injuries in the blast, including severe abdominal trauma, and despite intensive treatment, she could not be saved," a senior police officer said.
Lakshmi was the wife of Rajesh, an auto-rickshaw driver in Bengaluru. Rajesh is originally a resident of Hosahalli village in Mandya district.
Police said the couple had come to Mysuru on Thursday and were staying at their relatives' house in Belavadi when the incident took place.
Earlier, Saleem, the helium balloon seller, was killed on the spot on December 25. On Friday, another injured woman, identified as Manjula, also died while undergoing treatment at KR Hospital.
Police said Saleem was a native of Uttar Pradesh and had been staying at Lashkar Mohalla in Mysuru along with two others. He was making a living by selling balloons.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also joined the probe and is collecting information related to the incident.
Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion.
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Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University, Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ passes away at 63
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Mangaluru: Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES), breathed his last on Friday, April 10. He was 63.
Born in 1963, Fr Melwin Pinto completed his schooling and college education at St Aloysius before joining the Jesuit order on June 20, 1981. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest on April 14, 1997.
Over the years, he held several academic qualifications, including an MA in English, a Master’s degree in Education, and diplomas in psychology and counselling as well as school administration.
He began his career in education as headmaster of St Joseph’s Primary School and High School in Hassan, serving between 1996 and 1999.
He later founded St Joseph’s Indian PU College and served as its principal until 2007. He subsequently served as headmaster of St Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, from 2007 to 2011, and later as principal of St Joseph’s PU College, Hassan, until 2012.
Fr Melwin Pinto also worked with Vatican Communications and Radio in Rome, contributing to its English desk for Asia and Indian languages.
He later served as superior and director of Fatima Retreat House in Valencia for two years from May 2017, before being appointed as superior of the Jesuit study home ‘Vidyaniketan’ in Dharwad.
He was also closely associated with the development of St Aloysius Institutions and played a key role in securing the status of a Deemed-to-be University. His contribution to the education sector and efforts towards innovation were widely acknowledged. He was known for maintaining close relations with people from all sections of society.
Legislative Council MLA Ivan D’Souza, in a statement, said the demise of Fr Melwin J Pinto was a huge loss to the educational and religious fields and had created a significant void in society.
Dakshina Kannada District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also expressed grief, stating that his service and contributions to education would always be remembered.
Details regarding the funeral are yet to be announced.
