Puri Chandan Yatra blast toll rises to 4

Bhubaneswar: The death toll in the firecracker explosion during Chandan Yatra in Puri rose to four on Friday after another person succumbed to injuries, a senior official said. Three persons, including a minor, had died and 33 others were injured after a stockpile of firecrackers exploded during Lord Jagannath's Chandan Yatra festival in Puri on Wednesday evening.

Another injured person has died in hospital, while 26 others were undergoing treatment, a statement issued by the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said.

The injured were initially admitted to Puri district headquarters hospital, but later shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack and hospitals in Bhubaneswar for specialised treatment as their condition worsened.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered an administrative-level inquiry into the incident and announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased.