Five people were killed and seven others injured following an explosion in an illegal firecracker factory at Egra in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal on Tuesday.
According to a police officer, the explosion had such a colossal impact that it resulted in the complete collapse of the residential building, which housed the factory operations.
“It took place inside a house where the firecracker unit was functioning. An investigation is under way,” he added.
The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital.
The entire area was cordoned off.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a CID investigation into the incident.
She said that the owner of the establishment in question is currently evading authorities.
The CM said that the owner had previously faced charges and obtained bail, and there were inputs that he had fled to Odisha.
Highlighting the owner’s political affiliation as a Trinamool Congress member, CM Banerjee questioned why the Bengal police had arrested him during Diwali. She clarified that her administration does not oppose a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Additionally, the chief minister mentioned that the panchayat, responsible for local governance, is under the control of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Source: TOI
