Puri: The death toll in the Puri firecracker tragedy increased to 16 with the death of another victim on Friday. Till June 2, 13 people died and three days later two more victims Debadatta Swain (35) of Gopinathpur and Rakesh Pradhan (23) of Khadiabandh in Puri succumbed to fatal burns.
Today another victim, identified as Ranjit Pradhan of Balagandi, breathed his last while undergoing treatment.
Altogether 36 people were injured in the explosion of a stockpile of firecrackers that happened during Lord Jagannath’s ‘Chandan Yatra’, a ritual, on the night of May 29 in Puri.
The administrative-level probe into the accident by Odisha SRC Satyabrata Sahu is underway while the Puri collector has taken steps to pay ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased.
Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu, appointed by the Odisha government to probe into the Puri firecracker accident, Friday recorded statements of parents of the burn victims, eyewitnesses, police, and health department officials.
As many as 16 people including some minors have succumbed to the burn injuries while 14 others are still undergoing treatment, in the fire mishap that took place on the concluding day of 21 day Chandan Yatra known as “Bhaunri Yatra”, in Puri on May 29 last.
