Daghestani official ‘blows off hand’ with stun grenade

The deputy head of the Buynaksk administration in Daghestan has been hospitalised after accidentally detonating a stun grenade in a residential building.

Russian state media RIA said that local authorities in Buynaksk, a town 40 kilometres southwest of the capital Makhachkala, had confirmed the incident on Thursday.

They said 30-year-old Gamzat Osmanov remained in the  Buynaksk Central City Hospital.

According to local Telegram channels, Osmanov’s hand was torn off after the explosion at a friend’s home. Telegram channel Baza reported that Osmanov was visiting a friend when he saw the grenade on the table, picked it up, and began to ‘twist’ it.

According to Mash Gor, another Telegram channel, Osmanov was told that the grenade was not real but a dummy, after which he began to ‘play’ with it.

No other injuries were reported in the explosion, which also does not appear to have damaged the building in which it took place.

RIA cited the local authorities as saying they were investigating the incident.

They also reported that Osmanov had been on unpaid leave since 15 September for family reasons.