Cylinder blast sparks panic near UN office

Srinagar, Aug 26: Panic gripped high-security Sonawar and Gupkar areas here this morning when a gas-welding cylinder exploded in an automobile workshop near the office of the United Nations Military Observor Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

Sources said a gas-welding cylinder exploded inside the A M Automobile Service Centre just near the UNMOGIP office opposite the shrine of Syed Yaqoob Shah and the Burn hall School this morning.

While no loss of life or property was reported in the blast, they said the explosion triggered panic in the entire area.

The sources said the explosion triggered an alarm among the security personnel guarding the UNMOGIP office and they rushed out to monitor the situation.

The UN observers also came out of their office to see what had happened, they added.

UNI