7 injured in twin cylinder blasts at Shillong eateries

Seven people were injured, two of them seriously, when LPG cylinders exploded in two restaurants of the same owner in separate market areas of Meghalaya capital this afternoon.

Ruling out the hand of militants or any other group, Superintendent of Police AR Mawthoh said while four employees were injured at the Banana Leaf restaurant at Laitumkhrah, three others got hurt at another eatery of the same owner in Jail Road locality as the cylinders went off.

The twin cylinder blasts took place in a span of one hour between 2pm to 3pm.

Of the seven injured, two were in serious condition and rushed to a private hospital, the official said.

None of the customers suffered any serious wound in the blasts.

Another senior police official said forensic experts already collected samples from the sites.

The official said "all possibilities remained open subject to forensic findings. But internal sabotage appears to be a possibility."