Newlywed man killed after bride’s ex gifts them home theatre music system rigged with explosives

A newlywed man and his brother died after a home theatre music system that they received as a wedding gift exploded in India's Chhattisgarh state.

The explosive-laden music system was allegedly gifted by the bride's ex-lover, who was livid about her getting married to another man, the police said.

Hemendra Merawi died on Monday in his house in the Kabirdham district as soon as he plugged in the music system. His elder brother, Rajkumar, later succumbed to his injuries.

Four other members of the family, including an 18-month-old child, suffered injuries and were admitted to a local hospital for treatment.

The intensity of the blast was so strong that it reportedly brought down the roof and walls of the house.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Sarju Markam, was arrested from the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.

Mr Markam, a married man and a father of two sons, was allegedly in a relationship with a 29-year-old woman and wanted her to be his second wife.

"Markam had initially lied to Merawi’s wife that he was not married. After she realised the truth, she refused to marry him. But he kept threatening her to marry him,” the police said in a statement.

The suspect also threatened Merawi and the two previously had an altercation over the issue.

“Markam fitted the bomb in the system and kept it below the mandap (platform) along with other gifts,” superintendent of police Lal Umed Singh was quoted by the Indian Express as saying.

“The accused told the police that he had planted the explosive in the home theatre and gifted it to the newly married couple in a bid to kill them.

"He used ammonium nitrate, petrol and gunpowder retrieved from firecrackers. He gift-wrapped it to avoid any suspicion. The blast got triggered when the system was switched on.”

Mr Markam had previously worked in a stone crusher plant, where he learned how to make explosives using ammonium nitrate, the police said.