He was injured after a minor explosion at a private event in B’luru last evening

Bengaluru: Shanthinagar MLA N.A. Haris, who was injured on his leg after a minor explosion at a private event in Bengaluru’s Viveknagar area late last evening, is likely to be discharged from a hospital in Bengaluru today evening. 

The incident took place at around 8.30 pm. Four others have also been injured and all of them were admitted to St. Philomena Hospital.

The latest incident comes two months after Congress MLA Tanveer Sait suffered injuries to his neck after an assailant stabbed him with a machete at a wedding function in Mysuru in November last. Over eight persons have been arrested for attack on Sait.   

Fifty-three-year-old Haris was on stage attending MGR birth anniversary celebration in Viveknagar’s Vannarpet area in his Shantinagar Constituency when something fell near him on the stage and exploded. The Police said that it is believed to be a firecracker and that further investigations are underway. 

While Haris sustained injuries on his leg, his friend hurt his hand. “One ‘rocket’ kind of cracker came in the opposite direction and fell near my father’s chair and burst there. He sustained injuries on his leg. We are not sure what cracker it was exactly,” said Mohammad Nalapad, son of MLA Haris.

It is suspected to be a low-intensity bomb blast and the material used looks like the ones used to kill pigs, Nalapad claimed. “Such an incident has never happened to us. We were very scared. He has sustained burn injuries on his right leg. This seems like a deliberate act too but I am sure the Police will investigate into this,” Nalapad said. 

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said, “There was a cracker show and immediately after the cracker show, there was a minor blast. Everyone has confirmed it was a cracker blast.” Police sources also said that forensic experts were on the spot to inspect the nature of explosion.