BHOPAL: At least 25 people, including men and women, were charred to death beyond recognition in an explosion at a licenced firecracker factory-cum-godown in Naxal-affected Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.
The explosion at the Warsi Patakha Dukan, located in the jungles of Khairigram village, also left six others with severe burns. While two of the injured have been admitted to the Balaghat district hospital, four others were undergoing treatment in Bhillai. The deceased and injured were mostly women.
According to Amit Sanghi, superintendent of police Balaghat, the explosion was set off by sparks in the crackers due to intense heat, around 3.30 pm. The godown, located in a big hall, was entirely flattened by the explosion.
“So far, at least 25 bodies have been retrieved from the debris. There’s a possibility that more bodies may be found,” said Sanghi. The State government announced `2 lakh compensation to each of the deceased person’s kin.