AYODHYA/LUCKNOW: A massive explosion on Thursday evening in Pagla Bhari village, under the Pura Kalandar police station area of Ayodhya, destroyed a two-storey house, killing five people — owner Ram Kumar Kasodhan, alias Pappu, his two children and two others. Police confirmed the identities of three of the deceased: House owner Ram Kumar Kasodhan (38), his son Luv (7), and daughter Ishi (10). The identities of the other two bodies are yet to be ascertained as they were burnt beyond recognition.Police said the blast, reportedly triggered by an LPG cylinder, was so powerful that debris was scattered across a 100-metre radius. A Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad along with the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) rushed to the site to assess the nature of the explosion. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken serious note of the incident, expressing condolences to the families of the deceased and directing officials to reach the site immediately to expedite rescue and relief operations.CO Shailendra Singh confirmed that five people died in the explosion. Dr Ashish Pathak, emergency medical officer at Ayodhya District Hospital, said all five — two adults and three children — were brought dead from the house, all suffering burn injuries.Police added that pieces of a blown-up pressure cooker and gas cylinder were recovered from the rubble, suggesting unsafe handling may have triggered the disaster.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Grover and other senior officials are at the scene, overseeing ongoing rescue operations. JCB machines have been deployed to clear the debris amid fears that more individuals may be trapped beneath.Inspector General of Police, Faizabad Range, Praveen Kumar, told TOI that preliminary reports and blast residue indicate that the explosion does not appear to be related to firecrackers.Eyewitnesses described the explosion as sudden and violent. Villagers rushed to help, raised alarms, and alerted authorities, prompting officers from five police stations to respond immediately. Residents in the vicinity were instructed to evacuate and maintain a safe distance.Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion and whether safety norms were violated. Rescue teams continue to work in coordination with police to locate any remaining victims. The incident has left the community in shock, highlighting the dangers of unregulated explosives and illegal firecracker manufacturing.Speaking about the incident, SSP Gaurav Grover said that around 7:15 PM on Thursday, authorities received information that the roof of a house on the outskirts of the village had collapsed with a loud explosion-like sound. “Police and rescue teams immediately reached the site and began rescue operations. Injured individuals were shifted to the hospital, where five fatalities were confirmed,” he said.He added that senior officials, including the DM Nikhil Tikaram Funde, along with the forensic team, CFO, and BDD Squad, inspected the site. “The debris has been largely cleared. The surrounding area, including fields with standing crops, is being thoroughly searched. Preliminary observations suggest that kitchen utensils and related items were scattered in large quantities, indicating that the collapse may have originated from the kitchen area. All evidence from the site is being collected,” he said.SSP Grover further stated, “The deceased, locally known as Pappu Gupta, and his family had lived in the village for many years and had built this house on the outskirts about two years ago. There are no other houses nearby. Revenue officials are verifying details about the family and coordinating with relatives as part of ongoing investigations.”The SSP confirmed that rescue and search operations are continuing, and further action will be taken based on the findings from the site.
