Helium cylinder explosion near Mysuru Palace claims third life

The death toll in the helium cylinder blast near Mysuru Palace rose to three after a Bengaluru woman died of injuries. Police and the NIA are probing the incident to determine the exact cause of the explosion

Mysuru: The death toll in the helium cylinder blast near Mysuru Palace rose to three on Saturday after a 29-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries, police said.

Lakshmi, a resident of Kamakshipalya in Bengaluru, died late on Friday while undergoing treatment at KR Hospital. She had sustained severe abdominal injuries in the explosion and could not be saved despite intensive medical care, a senior police officer said.

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Lakshmi was the wife of Rajesh, an auto-rickshaw driver originally from Hosahalli village in Mandya district. The couple had arrived in Mysuru on Thursday and were staying at a relative’s house in Belavadi when the blast occurred.

Earlier, Saleem, a helium balloon vendor, was killed on the spot in the explosion on December 25. Another injured woman, Manjula, died on Friday while undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

Police said Saleem, a native of Uttar Pradesh, had been living in Lashkar Mohalla in Mysuru along with two others and earned his livelihood by selling balloons near the palace area.

The National Investigation Agency has joined the probe and is collecting information related to the incident.

Police said investigations are continuing to determine the exact cause of the explosion