The Christmas celebrations in the cultural capital of Karnataka took a devastating turn on Thursday evening when a gas cylinder used for filling balloons exploded in front of the Mysore Palace. The incident, which occurred around 8:30 PM at the Jayamarthanda Gate, resulted in the death of a 40-year-old vendor and left five others with serious injuries.
According to police officials, the deceased has been identified as Salim, a resident of Uttar Pradesh who was selling balloons from a bicycle. The blast took place while he was filling a balloon using a pressurized gas cylinder (initially reported as nitrogen, though later identified as helium by authorities). The force of the explosion was so intense that it was reportedly heard over a kilometer away, causing immediate panic among the thousands of tourists who had gathered at the Palace for the holiday flower show and winter festival.
Five visitors standing near the vendor sustained shrapnel and blast-related injuries. They have been identified as Shehnaz Shabbir (54) from Kolkata, Lakshmi (45) from Bengaluru, Kotresh (54) from Ranebennur, Manjula (29) from Nanjangud, and Ranjitha (30). All the injured were immediately rushed to K.R. Hospital, where one woman is reported to be in critical condition.
City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar and DCP K.S. Sunder Raj visited the spot shortly after the blast. Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams and the anti-sabotage squad were deployed to investigate the exact cause of the cylinder failure. Preliminary reports suggest that the cylinder may have been over-pressurized or lacked necessary safety certifications. In the wake of the incident, security has been tightened around the palace premises to manage the holiday crowds and prevent further mishaps.
