‘Radioactive’ material in Delhi shop spreads panic, 4 taken ill

NEW DELHI - Four people were taken ill and suffered burn-like injuries after coming in contact with a suspected radioactive material in a scrap market in the Indian capital Thursday. Police assured there was nothing to worry.

Deepak Jain, the owner of the scrap shop in Mayapuri in west Delhi where the object was found, is in critical condition after his body turned black when he touched the material, according to eyewitnesses. Three other people working in the shop were also affected by the radiation.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said experts have been called in and a limited area around the scrap market has been cordoned off.

“The object was in a scrap shop. The area has been cordoned off… There is nothing to worry. It is a mild radiation. A limited area has been surrounded so that no one else is affected. The impact is not severe and soon we will be able to neutralize the impact of the metal,” Bhagat said.

He said three-four people were affected and they were being medically examined.

“We have called in experts. We are investigating,” he said.

People in the area panicked as they said those present within a few meters of the shop also felt the effect of the radiation from the object.

As TV channels flashed the news, many people also got calls from their worried relatives.

“I didn’t know about it. I got a call from my parents in Kashmir who saw the news on TV and panicked,” said Saajid Ahmed, an employee in a Delhi-based tech company.

Ahmed, a Kashmiri, said the news had spread fast to other parts of the country and some of his other friends from outside also got “frantic calls” from their relatives.