Five people died and 64 were injured in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district after a fire broke out at a Durga Puja pandal on Sunday night.
The fire broke out in the Narthua village near the Aurai police station, District Magistrate Gaurang Rathi said, according to PTI.
A digital show was going on at the venue and 300 to 400 persons were present there at the time of the incident, unidentified officials told the news agency. The fire reduced the pandal to ashes, according to the officials.
Those who died have been identified as Ankush Soni (10), Jaya Devi (45), Navin alias Ujjwal (10), Aarti Devi (48) and Harshvardhan (8). Two of the minors who died were grandchildren of Jaya Devi, according to ANI.
Out of the 64 persons admitted to hospitals, 42 are in Varanasi, 18 are in Aurai and 4 are in Prayagraj. All the patients are in stable condition, Rathi said.
The district magistrate said that prima facie, the fire took place due to a short circuit, but further investigations are on, ANI reported.
A first information report has been filed at the Aurai police station, Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath said that he prays for the speedy recovery of those injured. He directed the district collector and senior police officials to reach the site of the fire and ensure that relief work is carried out quickly.
The fire took place a day after 26 persons died when a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond in the Ghatampur area of the Kanpur city. The tractor, with 50 people on board, was returning from the Chandrika Devi temple in Unnao.
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