A 13-year-old boy sustained serious injuries after a crude bomb exploded while he was playing at Poyilur, near Panoor, in Kannur, Kerala, on Tuesday.

The injured, Muhammad Shahadi, son of a couple residing in a rented quarters at North Poyilur, underwent surgery in which two of his fingers were amputated.

The incident occurred around 3 pm on Tuesday when the explosive device went off. He was initially rushed to the Indira Gandhi Cooperative Hospital, Thalassery, where doctors later performed the surgery.

Hospital sources said the condition of the child was stable, though he suffered significant damage to his fingers due to the impact of the explosion.

The Kolavallur police have launched an investigation into how the steel bomb came into the possession of the child. Preliminary inquiries are focusing on the source of the explosive material and whether it was improperly stored or abandoned in the locality.