Puri firecracker blast: Death toll rises to 15

Odisha: The death toll in the firecracker explosion in Odisha’s Puri rose to 15 as two more persons succumbed to burn injuries, according to a statement issued by the Special Relief Commissioner on Wednesday. It said 12 people injured in the blast are being treated at various hospitals in Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, while nine injured have been discharged from health facilities.

A total of 36 people were injured in the explosion at a store of firecrackers during the ‘Chandan Yatra’ of Lord Jagannath in Puri on the night of May 29. An administrative level probe into the accident is underway by SRC Satyabrata Sahu. The Puri Collector has taken steps to provide an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased, an official said.