kolkata: At least four persons were killed and 10 others were injured after a gas cylinder to inflate balloons exploded at Joynagar in South 24-Parganas on Sunday night.
According to sources, on Sunday a programme was going on at the Batra village in Joynagar. In and around the venue of the programme several people were selling food items. Though the programme was going on under the jurisdiction of Joynagar police station, a few vendors were selling their products at a distance of a few hundred-meter from the venue which falls under the jurisdiction of Bakultala police station.
Among them, two persons were selling balloons which were inflated using gas from carbide. Around 9:30 pm, the cylinder exploded. Due to the explosion, two balloon sellers and 12 others suffered critical injuries. They were rushed to a local hospital where four of them were declared brought dead. Among the deceased two were children aged around 12 years. Among the 10 injured persons, four have been shifted to M R Bangur Hospital for better treatment.Police said that the cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. A case has been registered at the Bakultala police station against the balloon sellers on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Pobe is on.