A powerful explosion involving a balloon-filling cylinder has rocked the entrance of the historic Mysuru Palace, killing a migrant vendor and leaving five tourists injured during a crowded Christmas festival.
A 40-year-old balloon seller was killed instantly on Thursday night (25 December) when a jumbo helium cylinder used to inflate balloons exploded in front of the Jayamarthanda Gate of the Mysuru Amba Vilas Palace. The blast, which happened around 8:30 PM, was so loud it was heard over a kilometer away. Metal shards flew through the air and triggered a stampede-like situation among hundreds of tourists attending the palace’s winter festival.
The deceased has been identified as Saleem (also reported as Salim), a resident of Tofiya village in the Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh. According to police, Saleem had arrived in Mysuru just 15 days ago and was operating a portable cylinder mounted on a bicycle.
The explosion injured five bystanders, several of whom are tourists visiting for the ‘Maagi Utsava’ flower show:
- Lakshmi (45) from Bengaluru: Reported to be in critical condition at KR Hospital.
- Manjula (29) from Nanjangud.
- Kotresh Gutte (54) from Ranebannur.
- Shalina Shabbir (54) from Kolkata.
- Ranjita (30): Sustained minor injuries.
The blast happened while a musical performance by the Vasuki Vaibhav troupe was underway inside the palace grounds. The event was immediately stopped as security forces sealed off the area and forensic experts arrived to collect samples.
While initial reports suggested a routine equipment failure from over-pressurization, the National Investigation Agency joined the investigation Friday morning. Investigators are looking closely at Saleem’s background after discovering he’d recently taken several photos inside the palace and was staying at a local lodge with multiple associates. Police haven’t ruled out foul play or sabotage, citing how unusually intense the explosion was.
“The balloon seller was killed on the spot due to the impact. We are investigating whether the cylinder was faulty or if there were other factors involved. Forensic teams and anti-sabotage units are on the scene,” Mysuru City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar said.
“The sound was deafening. At first, we thought it was a cracker or a transformer burst, but then we saw people running and smoke near the gate,” a witness who was at the palace for the flower show said.
The incident has raised serious questions about security at heritage sites during peak tourist seasons. Mysuru is currently seeing a massive influx of visitors for the year-end holidays. This blast follows a high-alert period in Karnataka after recent security concerns at major public sites in the state.
Security has been significantly ramped up at all three main gates of the Mysuru Palace. Authorities are considering a total ban on high-pressure gas cylinders within a 500-meter radius of the palace walls. The NIA is expected to release a detailed report once the chemical composition of the cylinder residue is analyzed at the Forensic Science Laboratory.
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