The blast toppled the SUV and left it in a mangled heap, and the debris was spread over a 40-metre radius from the vehicle in Karnataka's Bagalkot. (Express Photo/Enhanced using AI)A parked SUV was blown apart in a late-night explosion outside a bar in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district Sunday, with the police investigating whether an improvised explosive device (IED) was used after recovering ammonium nitrate traces and a piece of wiring from the spot.The blast occurred around 10.45 pm under a Mahindra XUV 300 belonging to Hanumantha Sanagond Athani, 35, the leaseholder of a string of liquor stores in Bagalkot, including the Yuvaraj Wine Shop at Hipparagi village, where the blast occurred.Also Read | Karnataka car blast probe uncovers crude bomb supply chain, 4 arrestedThe debris from the blast, which toppled the SUV and left it in a mangled heap, was spread over a 40 metre radius from the vehicle. A motorcyclist, Yallaling Pujari, 22, who was passing by, was injured while Athani was still at the bar completing the accounts for the day when the blast occurred.“The blast seems to have occurred under the car. There is the possibility of an IED being used with a connection set at the spot. Ammonium nitrate and some wiring are reported to have been used,” a source said.Examining samplesHowever, Siddharth Goyal, Superintendent of Police, Bagalkot, said there was no conclusive evidence so far to suggest that an IED was used.“Ammonium nitrate is available in urea, which is also used as a fertiliser. This is a rural area, and there was a field nearby. Experts have collected all the samples, including a control sample from nearby sites. Only if there is a difference in the ammonium nitrate at the site of the incident and the control samples can any conclusion be made,” Goyal said.Also Read | Cab driver reveals terrifying moments before car exploded on Karnataka highway, killing 1“There was no detonator. A wire was found some 30 metres away from the car. They have not been able to conclude that it is linked to the car but indicate that it belongs to a borewell site on the nearby field,” he added.Other anglesStory continues below this adThe blast occurred under the car on the left side, towards the engine, and did not cause a fire because the fuel tank did not explode, sources said.Meanwhile, investigators are also looking into whether Athani, who operates around 12 wine shops on lease and is reportedly involved in informal money lending, had any disputes or rivalries that could be linked to the incident.The Bagalkot police are examining CCTV footage from the area, which shows the vehicle under surveillance for more than six hours after it was parked near the bar. No suspicious activity was noticed during that period.Also Read | Karnataka Police rule out crime angle, say chemical reaction triggered blast in Bidar villageThey have sought help from Mahindra and Mahindra, local mechanics, and forensic experts to determine the cause of the blast.Story continues below this adThe vehicle, purchased three years ago, is registered in Athani’s wife’s name, the police said.