Five people, including three children, have so far died after a fire broke out at a Durga puja pandal in Bhadohi district, police said on Monday.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the cause of the incident from all angles, including it being part of any subversive activity.

Fire broke out on Sunday in a Durga puja pandal in Aurai town during the aarti session to mark the Saptami, or the seventh day, of Navratri festivities.

Bhadohi District Magistrate Gaurang Rathi said on Monday, “The death toll in the Bhadohi Durga puja pandal fire incident has risen to five. Three children and two women have died.”

Among the five deceased were one Jai Devi and her two grandchildren and their death has left the family in a state of shock.

Jai Devi’s husband said, “Along with my wife, three of her daughters-in-law and two grandchildren had gone to the pandal. While the woman and one of the children died in hospital, one more child died today (Monday) morning at home.”

On Sunday night, Bhadohi’s Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar had informed about the incident, saying that the fire broke at the time of aarti.

“At around 9 pm, a fire broke out at Durga puja pandal in Bhadohi as it was the time of aarti. Around 10-15 people were injured and were immediately rushed to the hospital,” the SP said.

“Around 150 people were present during the Durga puja aarti when the fire broke out. Fifty-two people were admitted to different hospitals. People having 30-40 per cent burns have been admitted to trauma centres and every patient is stable,” he added.

Rathi said the fire broke out when a halogen light at the pandal overheated, causing an electric wire to catch fire. Soon the fire engulfed the wooden scaffolding and the tent, he said.

The cause of the fire was ascertained by a special probe team constituted by Additional Director General of Police Ram Kumar, the district magistrate said.

A total of 67 people were injured in the fire and three of them identified as Ankush Soni (12), Jaya Devi (45) and Naveen (10) died. Later, two more, Arti Chaubey (48) and Harshvardhan (8), died during treatment, a senior official said. Many others, including Anushka (1), Rishabh Chaurasia (2), Gulabi Devi (16), Sarita Chaurasia (14), Sandhya Chaurasia (14), Sakshi (18), Ranjana Devi (30) received serious burns. They were immediately sent to Surya Trauma Centre, Anand Hospital, community health centre at Gopiganj Aurai. From here, 42 people were referred to Varanasi Trauma Centre when their condition became critical. Eighteen were sent to Aurai and four were referred to Prayagraj.

Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said an FIR had been lodged at Aurai police station.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief at the loss of lives in the incident, his office said in a tweet on Sunday. Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure that the injured get proper treatment.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that a digital show was going on at the pandal when the fire broke out on Sunday night, reducing the pandal in Narthua village to ashes.

More than 300 people were in the pandal when the blaze erupted and a majority of them were women and children.