TNI Bureau: At least 25 devotees including many kids, sustained burn injuries in a firecracker explosion during the Chandan Yatra at Narendra Pokhari (Pond) in Puri tonight. The incident occurred when the ‘Chapa Khela’ was underway.

All injured were admitted to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital. Most of them have 60-80% burn injuries.

At least 15 critically injured are being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, AIIMS Bhubaneswar and SUM Ultimate Hospital as Puri DHH does not have special burn unit to handle the situation.

Odisha CM has Naveen Patnaik expressed concerns over the incident and directed the authorities to provide best possible treatment to the injured free of cost.

Meanwhile, the Odisha-Mo Parivar volunteers immediately rushed to the spot to help the injured following the direction of Convener Arup Patnaik. They are assisting in transferring the injured to SCB, Cuttack and kept blood donors ready there.