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In a sensational incident, an Oxygen cylinder on Sunday exploded at Seujpur area in Dibrugarh causing damaged to an iron gate and a rickshaw.

According to information, a scrap metal collector while tried to break the defunct oxygen cylinder which he collected exploded.

An eye witness said around 5 pm on Sunday the oxygen cylinder blasted. “I have heard a loud sound from his shop and seen that the Oxygen cylinder which he had collected in a scrap was blasted and damaged a rickshaw which was passing near his shop. An iron gate was also damaged.”

The incident triggered panic in the area and local residents informed police about the incident.

According to information, Omprakash Sarma is the owner of the scrap collection shop and for past many years he has been involved in business in the area.

Sources said a member of a youth organization demanded money from Omprakash when he got to know that the latter had stored some stolen cylinder in the stop. As per information, Omprakash paid Rs 7 lakh to them.

Reportedly, a local journalist was also involved in the deal along with the youth organization.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]