Man hurls explosive device at Shanghai airport, then attempts suicide

Four passengers were wounded after a man hurled an explosive device at a check-in counter at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport on Sunday afternoon, before attempting to kill himself.

"According to the initial police investigation, a man took out a homemade explosive device in a beer bottle from a bag he was carrying and threw it in front of the check-in counters. After the beer bottle exploded, the man took out a dagger from his bag, slashed his own neck and collapsed on the floor," according to a Shanghai Police press statement.

The assailant is currently in critical condition and being treated in hospital, police said.

Another four passengers at the scene -- including a Filipino national -- were slightly injured by broken glass from the blast and have been hospitalized for treatment. The case is under further investigation, the police statement added.

The incident happened at around 2:20 p.m. local time, the Shanghai Airport Authority that operates the airport said. "Police have taken control of the incident area. Other flight operations at Pudong are not affected," it said in a statement.

Armed troops inside Pudong airport seal off part of the arrivals terminal.

It is not yet clear what the motivation behind the attack was.

Pudong is one of China's busiest aviation hubs, with more than 60 million passengers passing through its two terminals last year.

Beijing blast

In 2013, a wheelchair-bound man set off a homemade explosive inside Beijing Capital International Airport after being prevented from airing a personal grievance.

According to Xinhua, he was stopped from handing out leaflets "to get attention to his complaints" outside the arrival hall. He then warned people nearby to get away before setting off the device.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com