Rupsa: The number of casualties in the cracker blast incident at Bahabalpur in Balasore mounted to 11 by Friday. Four critically burnt persons succumbed to burns during treatment in Cuttack while seven critically burnt persons had died earlier.
Among the dead are three sons and two grandkids of illegal cracker unit owner Golak Pradhan.
The deceased are Balai Pradhan(35), Kanhai Pradhan(30), Nimai Pradhan(18), Nandiani Prdhan (6), Sonu Pradhan(4), Ranjit Mandal(20), Pintu Mandal(17), Nimain Bhuyan(28), Rampad Maiti(65), Janmejya Behera(21) of Channua village and Ranjit Samant (21) of Parikhya village.
Golakah Pradhan (62), Parbati Pradhan (25), Pradip Bera (24) and Muksesh Parida (22) of Aludiha have been battling for life at SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Ramnarayan Dwivedy, a villager, has filed a complaint about the fire cracker mishap. Police registered a case and started investigation.
Additional superintendent of police Santosh Kumar Nayak, Rupsa OIC Ashok Kumar Nayak and Bahabalpur marine police conducted raids on the houses of Sudam Pradhan, Subal Pradhan, Jyotish Pradhan, Abalakant Pradhan and Mrugendra Pradhan and detected illegal cracker units Thursday.
Police seized huge amount of crackers, potassium nitrate, sulphur and gunpowder worth lakhs of rupees from their houses. Police registered separate cases against them.
During investigation, tension prevailed in the village when villagers saw suspended IIC Santosh Kumar Behera in uniform. The villagers allegedly abused him. Police intervened and sent the suspended IIC back to the police station.
Rupsa IIC Ashok Kumar Nayak was posted at the local marine police station in place of Santosh Behera.
Police came to know that over 10 people in the village were running illegal cracker manufacturing units.
The mishap had taken place on the eve of Diwali, perishing at least seven people. In all, 12 others sustained critical burns. PNN
