Blast in Kolkata, seventeen injured

Kolkata, Jan 16: At least 17 people were injured in an explosion in the posh Theatre Road locality here today. The blast occurred on the pavement outside the Hindustan Unilever building at around 9:30 a.m. during peak-hour traffic. Glass panes of nearby buildings were shattered due to the impact of the blast.

Javed Shamim, Deputy Commissioner, Detective Department has however put to rest fears of a terrorist attack or sabotage. He said: "Prima facie it looks as though the explosion occurred due to either a short circuit in the transformer lines or due to leakage in any one of the several underground gas pipelines in the area." The Intelligence Bureau offices, the Nagaland House and several offices of private sector companies are housed in the area where the blast occurred.

A police force, along with a bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs, was immediately rushed to the spot.

Security in the city is already on alert ahead of the Republic Day.

ANI