A six-month-old baby among eight people killed when a high-intensity explosion ripped through a house, where firecrackers were allegedly manufactured illegally in Bhagalpur of Bihar. Approx dozen of people were injured in the blast which also led to the collapse of the two-storeyed house and three other houses in the vicinity.
Residents said the explosion took place around 11:35 pm on 3rd march when firecrackers were stored or being manufactured. The explosion was so powerful that it was heard over two kilometres away.
Senior Police Superintendent Babu Ram said that, “So far, the deaths in the explosion are eight with one injured person succumbing to his injuries a few hours back. There are chances of two more bodies lying under the debris, which is being cleared. The toll could rise to 10 or more.”
Police said explosive material went off on the ground floor of one Navin Atishbaaj’s house barely 100 metres from a police station. He was also injured in the blast. A local resident Pinki Kumar reported that two of her family members died when Atishbaaj’s house was damaged and the debris fell on their house.
Deputy inspector general Sujit Kumar cited the preliminary probe and added it suggested Atishbaaj was running an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit under the cover of a grill shop.
A case has been registered under the Indian Penal Code’s Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and the Explosive Substances Act.
