Odisha: 22 school students injured due to bomb explosion

About 22 school students were injured when a low-intensity bomb exploded inside a classroom of in Ayutpur High School on the outskirts of Cuttack city on Monday.

The injured were rushed to the SCB Medical College Hospital. Students and teachers of the school said they heard a loud bang inside Class IX at around 11 am. The teacher was taking attendance when the blast took place.

Teachers suspected that the bomb was in the school bag of a student, informed Ms Namtia Mohanty, headmistress of the school. Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Kumar said, "We have sealed the school and a forensic team is examining the spot to find out what kind of explosive was used."

"Just five minutes into the first period, we heard a loud explosion inside the class IX room on the first floor of the building," school headmistress Pravati Mohanty said.

The school and mass education department has ordered a departmental enquiry, official sources said adding the district inspector of schools would conduct the probe and submit a report within seven days.

The police expects to get leads from the versions of the injured students. The school and mass education department has, in the meanwhile, ordered a departmental probe.

On the other hand, Chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the state government will treat freely to students who are inured in this incident.

PTI.