The toll in the fire work display on the concluding day of the 21-day Chandan Yatra, known as the “Bhaunri Yatra, in Puri on Wednesday rose to three, with one more succumbed to injuries in a hospital in Cuttack.
In a heartbreaking and shocking incident, about 30 people sustained serious burn injuries in a cracker explosion near the Narendra tank in the pilgrim town of Puri on Wednesday night.
The injured persons, mostly children, were first admitted to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital, but later shifted to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack as the Puri hospital lacked burn injury treatment facilities.
According to eyewitness accounts, there was a firework display on the occasion of the concluding day of 21-day Chandan Yatra when one cracker missed the direction and landed on the pile of firecrackers, causing a huge explosion in the area.
As it was the concluding festival, hundreds of devotees had gathered at the site to witness the festival and the fire display.
Sources said most of the injured persons were shifted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, where two succumbed to injuries, while among others were shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, where one was found dead.
The SCB Medical College and Hospital authority said among the injured admitted, five were minor boys. The condition of the many injured people was still critical.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed his deep concern over the incident and directed the Chief Secretary and Puri District Collector to provide proper treatment to the injured persons.
Patnaik, who is scheduled to visit the injured persons admitted to a private hospital here, announced that the treatment expenses of the injured persons would be borne by the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).
The Puri district administration has launched a search operation in the Narendra Tank this morning, as eyewitnesses said several people jumped into the tank after being injured in the cracker explosion.
The Chief Minister also wished speedy recovery for the injured persons.
