Puri tragedy: Odisha CM orders high-level probe, announces Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into the firecracker tragedy during the Chandan Yatra festival in Puri that claimed three lives and injured 30.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

He directed a high-level probe into the incident by the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management and the Special Relief Commissioner, Satyabrata Sahu.

CM Patnaik met the injured and spoke to the relatives of the injured and doctors at the private hospital.

He also announced that the cost of the treatment of the injured would be borne by the state government.

The incident occurred on Wednesday after a heap of firecrackers exploded at Narendra Tank near Jagannath Temple.

A splinter from fireworks hit a heap of firecrackers on the Devi Ghat where the longest annual festival of Jagannath Temple of Puri was being observed.

The crackers piled on the spot soon went off causing serious burn injuries to the devotees who were at the spot to watch the annual water sport of the deities.