Tamil Nadu police tightened security in Coimbatore after the gas cylinder fitted in a moving car exploded and caught fire. The Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the spot and put out the flames and recovered the charred body of a man from the blast site.
The car exploded near Kottai Eswaran temple in the early hours of Sunday (October 23, 2022).
Over 100 police personnel were deployed, while the area was barricaded.
The mangled remains of the Maruti car are being examined by forensic police. The car was apparently carrying two LPG cylinders, one of which caught fire and exploded.
Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Sylendra Babu visited the spot and studied the course of the investigation so far.
Police employed a scientific team and a dog squad at the blast site. Investigation so far had revealed that the car had been registered at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.
Senior police officers, including Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan, are supervising the probe.
The Ukkadam area of the city is said to be communally sensitive, and a tense situation prevails here.
Shops in the vicinity remained closed after the incident.
ADGP P Thamarai Kannan visited the spot and reviewed the situation. He said the process of collecting evidence was on and a clear picture would emerge by evening. Six special teams had been formed to probe into the incident.
Although the explosion is said to have resulted due to a gas leak from the cylinder, police are examining all angles including the possibility of a conspiracy.