Kottayam: Six people were injured in an explosion at a tea shop in Pidannaplavu near Punnavely in Anicadu grama panchayat of Pathanamthitta district on Tuesday.

According to Thiruvalla DSP, the explosion occurred after a cartridge with gunpowder used for blasting rocks that was carried by a man at the tea shop caught fire. “There is nothing suspicious in the incident,” said the officer. The gunpowder carried by Sunny Chacko, 64, could have caught fire from the beedi he was smoking. He was seriously injured and his right palm suffered serious injuries. Police found gunpowder used for blasting rocks from his house too. The person was in the profession of rock blasting works, and off late he used to take contract works.

Thomas John, 72, who was inside the tea shop at the time of the explosion was also seriously injured. Both were taken to the government medical college hospital in Kottayam. John was later shifted to a private hospital in Thiruvalla.

Meanwhile, doctors at the MCH advised Chacko for a plastic surgery of his injured palm.

The other four were injured due to the glass shrapnel from the soda bottles in the shop. All four were rushed to the taluk hospital in Mallappally and they returned home by afternoon after receiving first aid.

A case was registered against Chacko under Explosives Act for storing explosives at home illegally.