A powerful explosion occurred in a house in Ayodhya’s Bikapur area on Sunday, just 100 metres away from the local police station, resulting in the complete collapse of two houses and damage to several others nearby.
The blast led to the tragic death of one man and left two others critically injured.
The incident took place at the residence of Vivekanand Pandey in Ward No. 11 of the Kabikapur Nagar Panchayat on Sunday afternoon.
The explosion’s impact was so severe that the debris buried those present inside, causing immediate chaos in the neighborhood. Three to four nearby houses also suffered structural damage, with cracks appearing in their walls due to the intensity of the blast.
According to reports, the deceased has been identified as Sarvan (28), a resident of Sherpur Para. Sarvan had visited Vivekanand Pandey’s house along with Nagar Panchayat operator Vijay Yadav when the explosion occurred. Both Sarvan and Vijay were trapped under the debris. While Sarvan succumbed to his injuries on the spot, Vijay and Vivekanand sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC) before being referred to the district hospital. Their condition remains critical.
Usha Devi, the mother of Vivekanand Pandey, stated, “We were not at home when the explosion happened. My son was inside. He’s seriously injured and has been taken to the hospital. We don’t know what caused the blast.”
Vijay Yadav, one of the injured survivors, recalled, “We had just arrived at Vivekanand’s house and were drinking water when the blast suddenly occurred, bringing the roof down on us. We were trapped under the debris.”
Authorities are still unclear about the exact cause of the explosion. While initial reports suggested a gas cylinder blast, eyewitnesses and locals claim otherwise.
According to them, the sound and impact of the explosion were far greater than a typical LPG cylinder blast, suggesting the possibility of another type of explosive material.
Bikapur Circle Officer (CO) Piyush said that although preliminary investigation points to a gas cylinder explosion, nothing can be confirmed until the forensic team completes its examination. Samples are being collected from the site to determine the exact cause of the blast.