2 people die in explosion near TN shrine, another shell found

Two people have died in an explosion suspected to have been caused by an artillery shell found near a temple in suburban Thiruporur, police said on Monday, as another such shell was recovered from the vicinity.

According to a senior officer, the entire place has been sanitised and a technical team is studying the materials recovered.

"We found an artillery fuse of 51mm and a shell. We have sent it to our technical team to ascertain what exactly it is. The cause of blast is because of that," the officer said, adding another mortar shell was recovered on Monday from the vicinity.

"The area has been sanitised and there are no more shells. Tomorrow we are hoping to have a better picture," the officer said.

"Only the survivors, who are presently under treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the government hospital, would be able to tell us where exactly they found these shells," he said.

A man died and one of the four injured men succumbed to his injuries on Monday after the explosion near the temple at a spot abutting a pond, right in the backyard of Sri Gangaiamman temple at Manamathi village, around 50 km from Chennai.

Following the incident on Sunday, a team of forensic experts and bomb squad personnel inspected the premises and collected samples.

The explosion rattled the local people and it left pockmarks in portions of the temple walls and some structures.

Last night, police cordoned off the temple premises and barred people from accessing the site of explosion.