Kendrapara: At least two police personnel were charred to death in a LPG cylinder blast while cooking food at their rented house at Kharinasi under Mahakalapara block in Kendrapara district, Sunday.
The deceased police personnel identified as Prakash Chandra Ray, 41, of Badabhuin under Rajranpur police limits in Nayagarh district and Susant Kumar Sahu, 47, of Buxipalli in Gopalpur of Ganjam district were posted in Jambu Marine police station limits. The two were stated to be former Army men who were engaged in sea patrolling in speed boats.
They were cooking food when the LPG cylinder exploded following a gas leak. The flames soon spread inside the room engulfing the two policemen. It is suspected that presence of highly inflammable material like barrels of petrol and diesel inside the room might have led to the inferno.
Prakash died on the spot while locals rescued Susant in a critical condition and rushed him to the district headquarters hospital in Kendrapara where doctors pronounced him brought dead. Police registered a case of unnatural death and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
Police said Prakash and Susant were part of a six-member team of police engaged in sea patrolling in speed boats. They were residing at a rented house at Kharinasi and were cooking food in a small room opposite their house when the mishap occurred.
On being informed, SP Niti Sekhar, DSP Kartik Chandra Mallick, Mahakalapara IIC Manoranjan Choudhury and additional tehsildar Ajit Kumar Sahu rushed to the spot and conducted a probe. Locals have demanded adequate compensation and necessary financial assistance to the bereaved families.
