Explosion inside Ludhiana District Court Complex: Injured recount tale of horror

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 23

Six persons were injured during the high-intensity explosion inside the District Court Complex today. The condition of all six injured persons is stable and under control. The injured are an advocate, policeman, photostat machine operator and three visitors.

Advocate Kuldeep Singh Mand (50), who suffered a head injury and hip bone fracture, was admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.

Advocate Harjot Singh Harike took his friend Kuldeep Singh to the DMCH. “Everything happened in front of my eyes. A high-intensity explosion, followed by pitch darkness, and I saw two women and a photostat machine were thrown away with great force. My friend advocate Kuldeep Singh got buried under the debris. I along with my friend took him out and immediately rushed to the DMCH,” said Harike.

It was on the way to the hospital that Mand regained consciousness and remembered nothing about the blast, except that he was in his chamber on the second floor.

Dr Amanpreet Kaur Sandhu, sister of Mand, said the moment they came to know about the blast, she started contacting her brother but he was not picking up the call. “I got worried and later we came to know that his friends took him to the hospital. We thank God that he has been saved,” said Dr Sandhu.

Manish Kumar (32), a policeman admitted to Christian Medical College and Hospital, was getting papers photostat when the explosion happened. “A stone hit my head and I fell down and when I touched my head, blood was flowing out of it. I saw the photostat machine operator hitting hard on the wall,” he said.

Sandeep Kaur (31), who works as a photostat machine operator inside the District Court Complex, said everything happened within a fraction of second after she heard a loud thud of voice. “I felt something had blown me away with great force. I couldn’t believe my luck that I am still alive,” she said. She is admitted to Civil Hospital.

The condition of Krishan Khanna (75) and Sharanjit Kaur (25), who are admitted to the DMCH and Civil Hospital, respectively, is stable now.

Krishan Khanna said after the blast there was chaos in the complex and people started running here and there. I also ran outside and fell down the stairs and suffered a shoulder fracture.

“All I remember is a loud voice that I heard and after that all went blank as I could not ascertain what was happening around me,” said Sharanjit Kaur.

Gurpreet Kaur (35) is the sixth injured in the explosion. She is admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Charitable Hospital.

Dr Parveen Sobti, Director, GTB Hospital, said Gurpreet Kaur was brought to the hospital by some people after pulling her out of the debris. She had 10-12 injuries and was in shock and did not remember her name.

“Her treatment was started and slowly she came out of the shock and is better now. Her family has also reached the hospital and are with her now,” said Dr Sobti.

Gurpreet Kaur and Sharanjit Kaur are sisters and both had come for the hearing of a case. Sharanjit is admitted to Civil Hospital. Both of them were going upstairs when the blast occurred. Sharanjit was little ahead, while Gurpreet was passing right in front of the bathroom when the blast occurred and sustained many injuries.

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