Illegal firecracker unit blast: Mamata orders probe

Kolkata: An explosion at an illegal firecracker unit located in Egra in East Midnapore district of West Bengal killed at least nine people and critically injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said the next of kin of the deceased will get a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh each and the injured will get Rs 1 lakh, while the state government will bear the expenses of their treatment.

The CM said action will be taken against the local police chief of Egra police station as “he had no information that an illegal firecracker unit was operating” in the area.

“We do not have any objection to the NIA probe. But I would like to point out that the probe by the CID has already started,” she said.