A Nitrogen balloon explosion inside a lift at a Goregaon West building late on the night of February 2 left a 21-year-old MBA aspirant with serious burn injuries, bringing her academic plans to an abrupt halt.

Kumari Himani Gagan Tapariya, who had arrived in Mumbai a few days earlier for an MBA interview scheduled on February 3, was staying at her maternal aunt’s residence. She was returning home when the incident occurred around 10.30 pm at Anmol Tower, Goregaon West. According to police, a man carrying 10 to 12 air-filled balloons entered the lift, and moments later, the balloons exploded inside the confined space, triggering panic.