Parcel of air pistols explodes at Latur courier office, one employee seriously hurt

A parcel exploded with a loud blast at Umate Courier Service in the Udyog Bhavan area of Latur city. The blast came suddenly while goods at the courier office were being loaded and unloaded, and one employee was seriously injured. Preliminary information is that the parcel contained air pistols ordered from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The explosion was so powerful that the roof and glass of the courier vehicle were blown off, causing panic in the area for some time.

According to Latur Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe, some air pistols had been ordered from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for a gun shop in Latur. The parcel had been lying in the sun for two days. Police have said the initial possibility is that the jolting and friction during loading and unloading caused the blast. However, what exactly caused it is yet to be established. This is only an early possibility, not a final conclusion.

The loud noise came as goods were being unloaded at the courier office as usual. The employee who was unloading the parcel was seriously injured and was immediately admitted to a private hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. Police and a dog squad reached the spot on receiving information. Additional Superintendent of Police Mangesh Chavan also visited the site and inspected it.

Police are gathering detailed information on how many air pistols and how many cartridges the parcel contained. They are also trying to find out who ordered the parcel and for whom. Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe said the investigation is being carried out from all angles to establish the real cause of the blast.

Umakant Umate, director of Umate Courier Service, reacted to the incident. "We do not keep any information about the parcels that come to us. Our job is only to deliver a parcel to the right address. This incident is extremely shocking for us," he said. He said one employee was seriously injured while another sustained minor injuries.

Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe has appealed to citizens not to believe any rumours about the incident. The police investigation is under way.