Madhya Pradesh man mistakes bomb for rasgulla, dies in horrific blast

A 35-year-old man died in Madhya Pradesh's Dindori district after a crude explosive, used to hunt wild boars and disguised as a rasgulla, exploded inside his mouth, police said on Friday.

The incident took place around 8 pm on Tuesday in Chhanta village during the Diwali festivities. The victim, Rajendra Barautiya, was sitting around a bonfire with others when his friend, Ram Bhagat, allegedly put the explosive, disguised as a rasgulla, into his mouth. The two were reportedly talking and joking at the time, Dindori Kotwali police station in-charge Nagpure said.

As Rajendra bit into the object, it exploded, leaving him seriously injured. He was rushed to Dindori district hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body was handed over to his family after a post-mortem examination.

Such crude explosives are used by some rural and tribal communities in the region to hunt wild boars. They are made by filling dough balls with gunpowder, often sourced from firecrackers or quarries.

Police officer Rekha Singh told AFP that investigators were yet to establish whether the explosive was given to Rajendra as a prank or with the intention of killing him.