NEW DELHI: 35-year-old man died in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district after a crude bomb hidden inside a sweet resembling a rasgulla (syrup-filled ball) exploded in his mouth.
The incident took place on Tuesday (Nov 10) when the man bit into the sweet, unaware that it contained an explosive device.
Police have arrested two men in connection with the case, news agency AFP reported on Friday (Nov 13).
The deceased, identified as Rajendra Barautiya, was sitting with his family around a bonfire when a fellow villager allegedly offered him the sweet.
The man reportedly claimed that it was a rasgulla. However, the device exploded as soon as Rajendra took a bite, causing serious injuries to his mouth and jaw.
He was immediately taken to a hospital, where he died a few hours later.
Bomb made to hunt wild boars
According to police, the explosive was a homemade device used by some rural communities to kill wild boars.
Such devices are made by filling small balls of dough with gunpowder, often obtained from firecrackers or quarries.
Their round shape makes them look similar to rasgullas, which are traditionally served soaked in sugar syrup.
Dindori Kotwali police inspector Durga Prasad Nagpure said the explosive was concealed inside the sweet and went off when Rajendra bit into it, according to a Deccan Herald report.
Police officer Rekha Singh told AFP that the device was used by some tribal communities in the area to hunt wild boars.
However, investigators are yet to establish why it was handed to Rajendra.
Two arrested, police probe motive
Police have arrested two men, including Ramabhagat Barautiya, who allegedly gave Rajendra the sweet. Both have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
“The bomb, used by some tribal people in the area to kill wild boars, was offered to this man. It exploded in his mouth,” Rekha Singh told AFP.
“We don’t know if the motive was to kill, or if it was a mischief. That is a matter of investigation,” she added.
A case has been registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act.
Police are also investigating how the accused obtained the device, how it came into their possession and whether anyone else was involved in arranging or supplying the explosive.
The motive behind the incident remains under investigation. - The Statesman/ANN
