Hand grenades stored in Jamshoro Police Station’s evidence lockup detonated and caused a large explosion on Wednesday, leaving five policemen and one suspect injured, police said.

Deputy Inspector General Tariq Razzak Dharejo said the blast was caused by old hand grenades stored in the warehouse detonating accidentally in the sweltering heat.

“Four of our officers were injured and are on respirators,” he said. “Two of them are being sent to Aga Khan [Hospital] for treatment since their condition is slightly worse.”

In an interview with Geo News, the DIG explained, “We had kept hand grenades which exploded due to the heat,” he said. “This was no act of terrorism.”

According to Jamshoro Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tariq Nawaz, two of the injured were transferred to Civil Hospital in Hyderabad in critical condition.

The police station itself was severely damaged by the explosion, with walls blown apart and vehicles such as rickshaws and motorcycles destroyed, he said.

DIG Dharejo and SSP Nawaz reached Jamshoro Police Station before leaving for Civil Hospital Hyderabad with the injured personnel.

The injured were identified as head constable Mohammad Bux, ASIs Rasool Bux and Ghulam Moiuddin, police constables Irshad and Ali Abdul Taif and a suspect identified as Jamshed, who was detained in lockup at the time of the blast.

Vehicles parked inside the police station, including scooters, motorcycles and rickshaws, were destroyed due to the blast.

The bomb disposal team sealed the police station and collected particulates and other evidence, according to SSP Nawaz.

Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon directed DIG Hyderabad and SSP Nawaz to provide all available facilities for the medical treatment of the injured police officers as well as the suspect.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hussain Lanjar also received a briefing from IGP Sindh and DIG Hyderabad about the incident.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reached Hyderabad and received a briefing on the explosion from DIG Dharejo.

The CM directed him and the Sindh health secretary to provide all medical facilities to the injured police officials.