Main Accused in Jhabua Blast Maybe One of the 89 Killed in it

Rajendra Kasawa, his wife said, ran into the building which blew up, minutes before the series of blasts.

People in Jhabua helping the injured on the site of explosion. (Photo: PTI)

The main accused in the Jhabua blasts – Rajendra Kasawa – which killed around 89 people may have died in the blast, the police suspect after inetrrogating his wife Pramila on Wednesday.

The police has decided to conduct DNA profiling of the three unidentified bodies from the Petlawad site in to check if one of them is Kasawa.

Kasawa’s wife Pramila has told police that her husband had rushed to the building minutes before the explosion.

Three unidentified bodies of the Petlawad blast are lying morgue of Maharaja Yeswantrao Hospital, Indore. We are going to take samples of family members of the accused and match it with the profile of the three bodies. This exercise will prove whether Kasawa is dead or alive.
— GG Pandey, Superintendent of Police, Jhabua

Meanwhile, a police officer on condition of anonymity said, during interrogation on Wednesday, Pramila told the police that Kasawa ran to the godown as soon as he received information about smoke billowing from his godown. He did not return after that.

According to an eye witness, Kasawa’s godown blew up first followed by a series of explosion in the godown and adjacent Sethia Hotel which housed a crowd gathered for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Kasawa had been booked under 304 (manslaughter) of IPC and other sections of Explosive Substance Act. The police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh in exchange of information about Kasawa.