Two women succumb to injuries on Friday; balloon seller dies on Thursday

Mysore/Mysuru: The death toll in the helium cylinder blast outside Jayamarthanda Gate near Mysore Palace on Thursday night has risen to three.

Manjula, a resident of Chamalapura Beedhi in Nanjangud, and Lakshmi, wife of Rajesh from Kamakshipalya, Bengaluru, who were critically injured in the explosion and admitted to the ICU of K.R. Hospital, succumbed to their injuries yesterday.

Saleem, the balloon vendor from Uttar Pradesh, had died on the spot while inflating balloons using a portable cylinder.

Doctors at K.R. Hospital confirmed that Manjula passed away in the evening, while Lakshmi died during the night. Their bodies have been shifted to mortuary and were handed over to their families after post-mortem today.

Manjula, a spinster supporting herself by selling flowers in Nanjangud, was living with her parents and siblings. She was walking towards the bus stop at Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle (formerly Hardinge Circle) to board a bus to Nanjangud after buying flowers when she became a victim of the blast.

Her grief-stricken brother, Nagendra, told the media, “On Thursday, we had our meal together. The tragedy struck as she was walking to catch the bus. When we reached the hospital, I visited her in the ICU. She tried to speak, but by evening, the doctors pronounced her dead.”

Lakshmi, who had sustained severe injuries to her abdomen, leg and hand, passed away around 8.30 pm.