MYSURU: A 42-year-old balloon vendor was killed and four people—most of them tourists—were injured after a large helium gas cylinder exploded near the main entrance of Mysuru Palace on Thursday evening.
The blast occurred around 8.30 pm in front of the palace gate. Police ruled out foul play, saying the identity of the deceased was yet to be fully ascertained. One of the injured, identified as Lakshmi from Bengaluru, is reported to be in critical condition.
The injured include tourists Manjula from Nanjangud, Kotresh Gutte from Ranebennur, and Shalina Shabbir from Kolkata. All four were rushed to KR Hospital for treatment.
The explosion was so powerful that the sound was heard nearly a kilometre away. At the time, the palace’s main gate had been closed to visitors, though many tourists were inside the illuminated complex, where the Mysuru Palace Board was hosting a flower show and musical programme as part of the winter festival.
With the holiday season drawing large crowds to Mysuru, the area was busy when the incident occurred. Police and emergency teams reached the spot within minutes, evacuated the injured, and secured the area. Forensic experts later collected evidence from the site.
City police commissioner Seema Latkar visited the scene as investigations continued.
