The report of the National Bomb Data Centre (NBDC) revealed that the July 18 blast at an eatery in Shimla's Mall Road has occurred owing to high explosive and not a gas leak. The blast had led to the killing of two people and injuring over 10 others. The report of the NBDC, under the National Security Guard, varies from that of the State Forensic Science Laboratory and the police investigation which concluded that a gas leak was the cause of the explosion.
The blast occurred at the Himachali Rasoi restaurant in Middle Bazaar adjacent to the fire brigade office in the heart of the city. After four days of the incident, an NBDC team visited the blast site on July 23 for investigation.
What Himachal DGP stated?
"The two (preliminary and confirmatory) reports of the NBDC pointed out that it was a high explosive and not a gas leak that led to the blast," Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu told news agency PTI. He further said that the investigation in the case has been handed over to the CID and has been directed to seek the help of federal agencies in order to uncover the truth.
Keeping in view the sensitivity of the case and to ensure thorough investigation, the Himachal Pradesh Police had requested the additional secretary of the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation Division, under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, to depute the National Security Guard's Post Blast Investigation team to visit the spot to unearth the cause of the blast.
What police report claims?
The police had earlier said detailed examination of evidence collected at the blast site and adjacent places by experts of the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, concluded that an LPG leak led to the explosion. Formed in 1988, the NBDC is the apex national agency for Post Blast Investigation and works under the National Security Guard.
(With inputs from PTI)
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