In a tragic incident, three persons died and seven others were injured when a cylinder blast took place inside a car in Maur Mandi near Bathinda, late in the evening on Tuesday.

The incident took place after a roadshow organised by local Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi ended.

This is the first incident which took place in the state at the time of polls, which is scheduled on February 4.

Initial reports which came from the investigation by the police said that the incident took place after a gas cylinder in a car had exploded.

SDM Latif Ahmed confirmed the death of three persons.

He said "the three people who died were standing near the car when the explosion took place. At least seven persons were injured, and they have been rushed to a hospital nearby. It is too early to ascertain how the explosion took place. The police have begun their investigations."

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal gave condolences to the family of the deceased.

The police are investigating on two versions currently. The police are not ruling out the chance of the incident can also be a terrorist attack. Police suspect that it can also be a use of invented explosive devices. The police are also probing that as the car was running on LPG, the cylinder blast took place.

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