Explosion at Uttar Pradesh Festival Kills Four Children, Injures Others

Four children died and several others were injured in an explosion during the Bundelkhand Gaurav Mahotsav in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, according to police reports on Thursday. The blast occurred during a fireworks display at the festival.

“Four of our children died in this. DIG from Chitrakoot, District Officer Chitrakoot, and SP, Additional SP, among other officials are on the spot, our forensic team, a team of Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) are also arriving,” Bhanu Bhaskar, Additional Director General (ADG), Prayagraj Zone, told reporters in Chitrakoot.

An FIR has been filed against three individuals in connection with the incident, with more likely to be named in the FIR as the investigation progresses. “FIR has been filed now against about three people and more people will be included in it. The investigation is going on,” said Additional Director General of Police Bhaskar.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a high-level inquiry committee, led by an additional director general (ADG) rank officer, to investigate the incident. He also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

“We have given the entire investigation to a new investigator, Harsh Pandey, CO, so that we can take it forward with the same seriousness as we were doing, also by coordinating with the teams that are coming in from New Delhi, from Lucknow as well as from Prayagraj and with the teams that are coming from Agra, we will conclude very soon,” Bhaskar added.

Further details on the incident are awaited.