Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Claim
An IED blast at a Kalyan Jewellers showroom in Bellary, Karnataka, purportedly an Islamist terror attack.
The archived version of the tweet can be seen here.
Fact
Newschecker ran a keyword search for “Kalyan Jewellers blast Bellary”, which led us to multiple news reports, seen here, here and here, stating that three people were seriously injured following an air conditioner explosion at Kalyan Jewellers store in Karnataka’s Bellary on May 2 (Thursday), adding that the blast was a result of a malfunction in one of the air conditioners at the store. The incident reportedly took place after an air conditioner blew up during the gas-refuelling process.
Newschecker also came across this tweet by the Karnataka State Police, dated May 3, 2024, dismissing the viral claims, confirming that the blast was an air conditioner gas explosion. The Bellary Superintendent of Police, too, confirmed to Asianet Newsable that the explosion resulted from a fire in the AC vent and that no foul play is suspected. The Bellary Superintendent of Police also posted on Twitter on May 3, 2024, stating that an accidental blast happened during the repair of the air conditioner in the store in Brucepete, Ballari, while warning about legal action against those spreading misinformation regarding the incident.
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Result: False
Sources
India Today report, May 3, 3024
Tweet, Karnataka State Police, May 3, 2024
Tweet, Superintendent of Police, Ballari, May 3, 2024
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
