Bhadohi Durga Puja pandal fire: Toll rises to 5, FIR filed against organisers

VARANASI: The toll in the fire incident at a Durga Puja pandal in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi rose to five on Monday, with four more people succumbing to severe burn injuries.
The remaining 70 injured people are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Varanasi, Bhadohi and Prayagraj.
The police early Monday filed an FIR against the puja organisers, who are absconding after the incident.
Taking a serious view of the tragedy, chief minister Yogi Adityanath sent minister Anil Rajbhar to take stock of the situation in Varanasi and at the incident site in Bhadohi.
He also asked the officials to provide the best possible treatment to the victims.
Providing details to TOI on Monday, Bhadohi district magistrate Gaurang Rathi said that a total of 75 people had suffered burn injuries in the fire on Sunday.
“Of them, five succumbed between Sunday night and Monday morning. Among the 70 injured people, 43 are critically injured and are undergoing treatment at the Trauma Centre of BHU and SPG divisional hospital of Varanasi. Besides, four are admitted to the SRN Hospital of Prayagraj and 23 at different hospitals of Bhadohi”.
Rathi said 12-year-old Ankush Soni had succumbed to injuries at a Bhadohi hospital on Sunday night while Jaya Devi died later at the SPG Divisional Hospital in Varanasi.
“On Monday morning, Arti Chaubey (48) died at the burn ward of SSL Hospital of BHU and Navin alias Ujjwal (10) died at SPG Hospital. Harshwardhan (8) died at his native Baari village in Bhadohi. All the bodies were handed over to their families and their cremation was done by late Monday evening,” he added.
The four-member special investigation team (SIT) formed by ADG Varanasi zone, Ram Kumar, and Bhadohi DM on Sunday night to investigate the incident on Monday submitted its interim investigation report.
The report stated that highly inflammable fibre polythene sheets used to make the pandal caught fire due to intense heating caused by halogen lights.
The people inside the pandal were stranded due to the single congested entry-exit route. Besides, the organisers were using electricity through illegal connection, the SIT stated.
Acting on the report, Bhadohi’s Aurai cops lodged an FIR in this connection. SP Bhadohi Anil Kumar said, “An FIR has been lodged against the president of the puja organising committee Pradeep alias Bachcha Yadav and other committee members under sections 304A (causing death by negligence), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life), 338, 135 (abetment of desertion of officer) IPC, 135 of Electricity (Amendment) Act 2003 and 188 CrPC.”
“Teams have been formed for the early arrest of the accused, who are absconding after the incident,” he added.
Bhadohi district officials said that Bal Ekta Club Durga Puja Samiti has been installing a puja pandal near the Narathua village on Aurai-Bhadohi road for several years.
The pandal, which was given the shape of a cave this year, was heavily crowded at around 8pm when the rituals of aarti were being performed.
In the meantime, decorative fibre polythene sheets caught fire due to the heat generated by halogen lights.
Locals said the flames of the pandal fire could be seen from several kilometres. Because of the single entry and intense fire, no rescue could be immediately started by the locals. Till the time police and fire brigade arrived, over 70 persons had suffered burn injuries of various degrees.
Police rushed the injured persons to various hospitals with the help of the locals. Senior Bhadohi officials, including the DM, SP, and also reached the hospitals.
The news of the incident brought officials in Varanasi zone on their toes as ADG Varanasi zone, Mirzapur divisional commissioner Yogeshwar Ram Mishra and DIG RP Singh also reached Aurai.
In view of the critical condition of most of the injured, the officials coordinated with the officials in Varanasi after which 43 critically injured people were rushed to the Trauma Centre of BHU and SPG Divisional Hospital in Varanasi.
Taking serious note of the incident, the CM has directed the officials to “ensure best possible treatment for the injured persons”.
On Monday, Rajbhar visited the hospitals in Varanasi and Bhadohi as the CM’s representative.
He met with the patients, their kin and the officials. He also inspected the spot and issued necessary directives.
Rathi said, “With the help of the Red Cross and other organisations, all necessary assistance was being provided for the cremation of the bodies. Besides, arrangements were being made to give food for the attendants of the injured persons”.
He added that 12 nodal officers had been engaged to coordinate with the officials in Varanasi and Prayagraj for proper treatment of the injured.