Parbhani blast: Cops Rule Out Terror, Suspect Suicide

AURANGABAD: The lecturer who was killed in a mysterious explosion in Parbhani had not reported to the polytechnic college in Beed for past 16 days and all efforts to contact him had proved futile. The police have ruled out any terror angle to the explosion and suspect that the chemical engineering professor may have committed suicide.
Atul Waghmare of Waghala in Pathri taluka of Parbhani district was employed with Yogeshwari Polytechnic College in Ambejogai, Beed.He had come to Parbhani on January 25 and was staying with his twin brother, Amol, an MSc in chemistry and a lecturer at Haribai Warpudkar Polytechnic College in Parbhani. Atul was killed in an explosion on Sunday morning that left the entire room charred.
Atul Bhagwanrao Waghmare was employed with Beed institute for over five months and the administration had not encountered any problem with him.
College principal Raman Deshpande told TOI, “Atul Waghmare had joined the institute as a lecturer on 16 August, 2014 and was very normal and cooperative with the students. We never felt that he was upset about anything nor did he skip college without informing us. He did not report to the college since January 16 and all our efforts to contact him failed as he had switched off his cell phone.”
The forensic team has concluded that petroleum hydrocarbons were found at the spot of the explosion. Special inspector general of police (Aurangabad range) Amitesh Kumar, who also holds the additional charge for Nanded, said, “The forensic reports have concluded that the chemical content that fuelled the fire was petroleum hydrocarbons. We are awaiting chemical analysis and histopathology reports. The findings leave less scope for any terror angle.”
The investigating team, which is awaiting the autopsy report, suspects that the deceased was depressed and may have committed suicide. Officials said that during investigation, a family doctor has stated that the deceased was treated by a psychiatrist in Bangalore in the past.
A senior police official confirmed the development and said, “The deceased while pursuing his HSC had ran away from home. After he returned almost a decade back, he was under ‘shock treatment’ at a psychiatrist’s clinic in Bangalore.”
Additional superintendent of police Niyati Thakar said, “The body was handed over to the family on Sunday evening. We are awaiting the autopsy report and suspect that he died of burn injuries. We have also studied the background of the deceased and there are bleak chances of terror angle in the incident. There is a possibility that he may have committed suicide but we are probing all the angles.”