Newly-married man, grandmother killed as gift-pack explodes

BHUBANESWAR: A newly married man and his grandmother were killed and his wife was critically injured when a gift packet the couple had received at their wedding reception a few days ago exploded while being unwrapped in Odisha's Bolangir district, the police said.

The elderly woman was killed on the spot and her grandson, who had tied the knot only five days ago, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Rourkela yesterday.

The wife of the man was being treated at the government hospital in Burla, the police said.

The gift was given to the couple by an unidentified person at the marriage reception on February 21. It exploded when they opened the packet at home, the police said.

"The police have collected evidence and an investigation is on," Patnagarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sesadeva Bariha said, adding that efforts were on to identify the person who had given the gift to the couple.

Bolangir Chief District Medical Officer S Mishra said the elderly woman was declared "brought dead" at the Bolangir district headquarters hospital.

''A man injured in the blast also died at the Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela,'' he added.