In a shocking incident on Friday, a 38- year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter were killed after being burnt alive and her husband severely injured in a cooking gas cylinder tragedy at Bhuban area in Dhenkanal district.
The deceased were identified as Mamata Pothal, wife of Duryadhan Pathal, residing in an asbestos roof house at Ward-3 of Bhuban and her daughter, Jyotsna Pothal.
Sources said Duryadhan is an ice cream vender. Mamata had received a BPCL gas cylinder free of cost under the Ujjwala Yojana of the Central Government about six months back. She was not using the cylinder as she was not properly educated by the donor regarding the safe use of the cylinder.
After accumulating some idea from friends and neighbours regarding use of the cylinder, Mamata wanted to prepare tea for the family on Friday early morning. After opening the nub of the cylinder, she searched for the match box. In the meantime, her daughter Jyotsna lighted the stick of the match box, when the entire kitchen having no ventilation facility had been filled with gas. The mother and daughter duo was burnt alive as the room caught fire in no time. Listening to their screaming, Duryadhan tried to rescue them by rushing into the house but received severe burn injuries. He was admitted at the Bhuban hospital.
Meanwhile, former Congress Minister Nabin Chandra Narayan Das said the Government of India should not distribute gas cylinder only to promote vote bank. Uneducated, poor women should be told how to use the gas before being given away a free gas connection, he demanded.