At least two people were killed and 11 injured in a firecracker explosion during a religious procession in Tarn Taran district of Punjab on Saturday, police said.
The explosion took place during the ‘’nagar kirtan’’ (religious procession) in
a trolley near Daleke Mor, Palasaur, Police Station City Tarn Taran.
The tractor-trolley was a part of the nagar kirtan going from Pahuwind in police station Bhikhiwind to Gurdwara Tahla Sahib in Chattiwind.
Police said the explosion took place when sparks from the crackers landed on a tractor-trolley where the fireworks were stacked.
“Two people were killed and 11 injured in the explosion,” Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dhruv Dahiya said.
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh ordered a magisterial probe into the fire crackers explosion.
Expressing shock and grief over the tragic incident, the Chief Minister has asked the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Tarn Taran to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident in order to fix responsibility and ensure justice for the victims.
He also announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs. 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased and free treatment to the injured, who are admitted in the local Civil Hospital and the Guru Nanak Dev Charitable Hospital. He also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Tarn Taran, to ensure that the injured get the best possible treatment.
He also directed the Civil and Police administration of Tarn Taran district to extend all possible help to the families of the victims. The SSP Tarn Taran has been asked to carry out post mortem proceedings expeditiously so that bodies of the deceased could be handed over to their families without delay.